Buying a home in Arizona requires a
significant investment. Even if you take out a sizable loan to pay off over the
next 15, 20, or 30 years, you will also need a large down payment to make the
loan payments manageable. Putting all that money into a home offers benefits,
including the ability to invest in improvement projects.
Home projects carry some risk, especially
for more complex upgrades. The work performed in the house must result in a
safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing improvement. Although the DIY
movement has grown in popularity, not everyone has the time, expertise, or
patience to learn these skills.
The alternative to DIY is hiring
professionals to do the work for you. Generally, this is a safer option if you
want the job done right, but you are giving up some control over the process.
Choosing the right contractor is essential for executing your vision. Let’s
look at six questions you should consider before hiring a contractor for an
Arizona home improvement project.
Do They Have Insurance?
Things go wrong during renovation
projects all the time. Some mistakes can be costly, such as messing with a
load-bearing wall or cutting into an interior wall that contains a pipe. These
mistakes can be extremely expensive, and even if the contractor is at fault for
the damage, your financial future could be jeopardized.
If the contractor has insurance for these
types of issues, it can provide clients with peace of mind. Before you hire
someone to tackle complex projects on your property, confirm if they are insured against costly mistakes.
Hiring someone who is not insured just to save a little money will probably
cost you way more in the long run.
Will They Use Sustainable Materials?
Longevity is an important priority for
any upgrade. If you are making big changes to the house, you want those changes
to last. A contractor with experience using sustainable building materials is a
better fit for achieving the desired end product. Plus, the work they do won’t
need to be revisited for a few years.
Energy-efficient upgrades are one way to add value to your property, and sustainable
materials are a key building block of such initiatives. During a free
consultation, ask the contractor what materials they often work with to
determine their areas of expertise. Sourcing materials is often a collaborative
effort on these projects, so they may be willing to work with you to identify
the right resources.
How Much Experience Do They Have?
Experience is the best teacher for many
trades in Arizona. A plumber with 20 years of experience will know some of the
tips and tricks for a long-lasting pipe network that a recent trade school
graduate may not yet understand. Someone who has recently completed Arizona low-voltage license training needs a
few years of experience to become an expert in installing communication
systems.
It is relatively easy to determine a contractor's
experience. You can ask them directly, visit their website, or check Google
reviews for their services. Although experience is not an automatic indication
of quality, there is typically a causal relationship.
Have They Handled Similar Projects?
Along the same lines, homeowners have
many projects they care about. Not every project looks the same, but you can
get a sense of the contractor’s work from past clients. Ask the professional
whether they have worked on projects similar to yours. If they are willing to
provide referrals for those clients, it is a good sign that the clients were
satisfied with the outcome.
This is important if you have really
specific goals for your project. For example, you may want a water feature to make your home feel like a sanctuary. You
probably want a team that has installed multiple water features in other
Arizona properties, rather than a contractor who is “willing to try it.”
Who Are Their Suppliers?
One of the vital stages in any home
improvement project is selecting materials. Residential contractors typically
work with suppliers or contacts to source building materials. This is an easy
way to determine whether a contractor is reliable. Do they source their
materials from well-known brands, or do they cheap out with questionable
supplies from unknown companies?
This also affects your project timeline.
Working with a reliable supplier decreases the likelihood of major delivery
delays. If the contractor works with a small company in Arizona with a poor
reputation, you may experience delays when materials are not on site by the
established timeline. Although you should expect some natural delays for a major renovation, the
timeline often depends on the supplier's quality.
How Do They Handle Logistics?
Once demolition or construction begins,
what does the contractor’s process look like? How many hours will they spend on
the work each day before moving on to other clients? Will they clean up dust
and debris left from the day's work? How often will the project leader provide
progress updates?
These questions reflect how the
contractor handles project logistics. If they cannot answer these questions
clearly, it could indicate that the project will be disorganized. This will
only make things more stressful for you, the homeowner.
Vet Contractors Thoroughly to Ensure the Best For Your Home
Although planning home improvements can
be exciting, it can also be stressful. Things get even worse if you hire a bad
contractor to do the job. Whether they struggle with communication, make too
many costly mistakes, or fail to secure positive referrals from past clients,
these red flags could indicate that your property is not in good hands.
You should want the best for your Arizona
property because it represents a massive investment. Ultimately, the project
must increase the property’s value while making the home better suited to your
needs. If you are hiring contractors, make sure you consider these questions
long before you sign on the dotted line.
*contributed post*
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