Nine Tips for Choosing and Managing Contractors

Here are some tips for finding and managing quality contractors and creating rewarding relationships with them:

Get Multiple Quotes from Different Contractors: It may seem obvious but so many people don’t do it. The disparities between quotes for the exact same job is sometimes mind numbing. If you are only getting one or two quotes you are potentially wasting money and marring your return on investment. On our very first rehab we had to deal with a fairly major foundation problem. The first quote was almost eight thousand dollars, which we initially thought was reasonable until we received additional quotes. The repairs were completed by a reputable company for half that, saving us money and boosting our returns.

Be Specific when Seeking Bids: Just like other professions, there are contractors looking to take advantage of vulnerable people; don’t be vulnerable. To provide defense from predatory contractors be as specific as possible and leave no room for interpretation. Specificity will also demonstrate confidence, awareness, and knowledge, compelling shady contractors to look elsewhere.

Ink It – Get a Detailed, Written Scope of Work: In a perfect world a handshake is all you need to ensure an agreement is upheld, but a handshake is not enough today. Once you have selected a contractor and agreed on a price, use a scope of work agreement to put EVERYTHING in writing. The scope of work should describe in detail the work to be performed and should be signed by both parties. This document will come in handy should any disagreements arise.

via Nine Tips for Choosing and Managing Contractors.