How to Hire a Contractor for the First Time

Hiring a contractor is a very important decision, and it can be an intimidating one. You are quite literally throwing your keys and sometimes the wallet with it. Finding someone trustworthy is imperative to a successful, stress-free project! Finding the wrong contractor can go south in a myriad of ways. You may end up paying a building professional for work you are unhappy with, or worse is unsafe. American Building Co is here to help you ensure you do not pay a scam artist to create a product you end up having to pay to rip out. In order to achieve that mutual goal, we highly recommend you do the project right or do not do it at all. Saving a couple hundred or even thousands of dollars in the short term could mean tens or hundreds of thousands of lost money that could have been prevented in the first place. 

There are a lot of headaches that can come with the building and constructing process. It is confusing, physically demanding, time intensive, and frustrating. That is only scratching the surface, acquiring the proper insurance, documentation, tools and expertise is often very difficult. Which is precisely why there is an entire industry of professionals in the craft. Many of us have hectic lives that will not tolerate the obstacle of a project like constructing a deck or replacing all the windows in your home. When you are juggling kids, work, spouses, pets and more it often becomes much more cost effective to pay a contractor to quickly and accurately achieve your building goals. That is why we are here to identify professionals who mean business. 

Hiring a Contractor Checklist

A great contractor will provide you with peace of mind that is truly priceless. Finding a reliable professional to take items off of your ever growing to do list can feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders. Even better when you can find a person who is able to exceed your building expectations and someone genuinely like and want to continue to do business with! 

Full honesty and transparency

If you catch your contractor in a lie (especially multiple) get rid of them. Sometimes you can catch a vendor or contractor in a lie on their website or in their reviews. Ideally, you are able to sniff this out before you sign any checks or contracts. You deserve a local, licensed, knowledgeable, contractor, without breaking a stress sweat!

No wishy-washy contracts or vague estimates. Handshake deals are a thing of the past. Or an agreement between people who are already well acquainted. You are potentially letting a stranger into your home, or at least around one of your most important assets. Make sure you are hiring someone who is experienced and prepared for the job.

Lack of Reviews

This person (or people) should have references, reviews, and or examples of work. Bonus points if they have an accessible portfolio for you to thumb through! This shows a level of confidence and pride in the work that will really make the difference. 

Poor Communication

Communication and responsiveness is massively important. If your building professional is unable to get back to you in a timely manner, you will experience countless issues throughout the partnership. Your contractor should not be allusive, confusing, or mysterious. They should be prioritizing you and your project, and they should be taking you as seriously as you are taking them. You are, after all, reading this article. They should be able to respond to a text! You had to research countless aspects of your job, trust them with your assets, and pay the bills. Your contractor should be aware of the undertaking this is, and respect you and your belongings throughout the process. 

Overly High or Low Pricing

Another red flag, but especially construction, is prices being very high or very low. If you are getting an extreme, unexplained discount, you should be concerned. On the other hand, if you are hiring one person to do a job, and they are charging $5,000/hour with no specialized experience or equipment it is time to break up with your contractor. There are unkind people out there who are intentionally seeking out those who are not knowledgeable about the world of building. There are absolutely contractors that will intentionally overcharge and overcomplicate a job just to make a quick buck.

How American Building Co Can Help

We are here to provide professional contracting services with an adamant promise. You will never be price gouged or lied to if you decide to choose American Building Contractors. Because frankly we couldn’t sleep at night if that was the product we were peddling. It seems like new scams crop up every day and we are never going to knowingly contribute to that epidemic. That is why we offer quotes and walkthroughs 100% free. You can become acquainted with your contractor, talk ideas and advice, and discuss the scope of the work you need done. If you determine you would like to move in a different direction, you are not obligated in any way. 

We are excited to have the opportunity to meet you, talk about our passion for building, and create a stronger community in the process! Construction and repair does not need to be as complicated and stressful as it has become. We can deliver building miracles and a fun, stress-free experience simultaneously! Contact us, and let’s chat about how we are going to make that happen together!