So you’re considering upgrading your home or starting a building project. this is a large undertaking that will require a significant amount of time and money. Despite the cost, you know the upgrade is the right thing to do for you and your family.
At this point, most people wonder, “Where do I even begin?” Your first step may be to conduct some online research on your home remodel project and its possible costs so that you may budget correctly. In most situations, the second step is to find a few good remodeling contractors in Orange County.
Finding a remodeling contractor appears to be a simple task, right? Those folks advertise all over… A lot of them can be found on Google, in junk mail fliers, on numerous online contractor listing or review sites, and even in magazines. It may appear that selecting an Orange County remodeling contractor is simple, but the issue is finding a good one — someone who is right for your project and fits your personality.
With so many licensed remodeling contractors in Orange County, how can you separate the good from the bad? That is truly a difficult, task which explains why more than half of homeowners who renovate had a terrible experience with their remodeling contractor.
Here at GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura or San Diego with reliable residential contractors, we speak to homeowners every day about planning for a residential renovation – here are some considerations, ideas, and tips to get you started.
How can I locate a reputable remodeling contractor near me?
We get this question a lot from our clients, and it’s a great one to ask. Hiring just any contractor can be a costly decision, especially if you’re planning to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on your renovation.
Once you hire a professional and the job begins, you have few options if the contractor does terrible work, overcharges you, is constantly late, or otherwise behaves unethically. Unfortunately, most homeowners discover their home remodeling contractor’s flaws far too late, resulting in a great deal of stress, anxiety, and disagreement.
The most crucial thing you can do to have a successful and stress-free renovation experience is to pick an honest, trustworthy renovation contractor. You should try to find at least three home contractors to interview.
Photographer: Sarah Mulholland/Flickr
Asking friends, neighbors, or trustworthy colleagues for contractors they’ve employed and liked is the ideal approach to finding some reputable ones. You should only trust suggestions from ‘real life’ friends if you ask for them on social media. People you don’t know are usually biased (they’ll recommend their cousin the contractor, for example).
If you don’t get enough good referrals from friends and family, consider working with a firm that performs extensive contractor screening and provides individualized introductions to top notch remodeling contractors. Don’t just pick a contractor at random from the junk mail or a national contractor directory site.
There are simply too many renovation contractors to choose from. Although the majority of them have a 4- or 5-star rating, it’s difficult to tell whether their reviews are genuine or fraudulent, making it difficult to discern the good ones from the bad.
Related: How to Protect Your Home During Renovation
How can I identify the difference between good and bad contractors?
How do you tell which home remodeling contractor is ideal for you after meeting and interviewing several? Unfortunately, most homeowners base their decision on only two criteria: the contractor with the lowest quote or their ‘gut feel’ of the contractor after only one visit. These factors are a nice place to start, but they are insufficient to determine who would be the best fit for your needs. These factors are a nice place to start, but they are insufficient to determine who would be the best fit for your needs.
When you meet a remodeling contractor, keep in mind that they are trying to sell you on their services. Also, while their cost estimate is crucial, it tells you very little about their credibility and honesty. As a result, these two criteria are insufficient to decide which home contractors are the best fit. Therefore, homeowners should take further measures to vet their prospective contractors.
Related: How Do You Compare Contractor Bids For Your Remodel?
To screen Orange County renovation contractors, GreatBuildz has established a 10-point screening procedure. I recommend that every homeowner take as many of these measures as feasible, but at the very least the five listed below:
- Check out their online reviews. Browse any negative reviews and assess how bad their behavior appears to you… and feel free to question the contractor about their negative reviews.
- Look up a contractor’s license online. You should go to the CSLB License Database in California. Confirm that the home contractor’s license is current and that there are no complaints or issues.
- Obtain a copy of their insurance certificate and request that their insurance broker add you as an “additional insured.”
- Call at least three references and look at images of their previous work.
- Interview the company’s owner (or at least the Project Manager who will be your day-to-day contact during the project). Inquire about anything that is important to you.
Who are the best contractors near me?
At GreatBuildz, We recommend only reliable, pre-screened remodeling contractors to our clients. In addition to the steps outlined above, here are some other variables we evaluate when evaluating pros.
Look for contractors who listen and are not aggressive, boastful, or disparaging of other pros. Avoid contractors who take more than a week to answer or set up an appointment. Also, be wary of renovation contractors who demand a significant upfront deposit to ‘hold’ your job. We prefer licensed contractors that have been in business for at least five years. Finally, contractors who spend a lot of money on marketing, such as mailers, digital advertising, and fully wrapped trucks, are likely to be pricey
Here are just a few remodeling contractor profiles from the GreatBuildz network, along with a few attributes we believe make them outstanding candidates for our clients:
If your friends, family, or coworkers can recommend a good Orange County remodeling contractor like the ones listed above, that’s your best bet. If not, please contact GreatBuildz’s friendly team to discuss your project so that we can match you with several outstanding remodeling contractors from our pre-screened network.
When it comes to finding the best remodeling contractor for your project – GreatBuildz is simplifying the contractor search. GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura & San Diego with reliable, thoroughly screened general contractors and provides project support from start to finish.
Call now (818.317.3567) to chat with a real person about your next renovation project or visit our website for more information: www.greatbuildz.com
