5 Ways to Find Good Contractors

I cannot stress enough how highly important it is to hire highly skilled contractors. As designers we have seen a lot of...interesting...design decisions made, and at the end of the day our designs, and our drawings, mean nothing without the skilled labor necessary to bring them to life.

It goes without saying that hiring the wrong people can destroy your design and cost you so much money. To truly illustrate the point, allow me to show you just how wrong a project can go with one example of what we've come to refer to as The Tile Incident:

The longer you look, the worse it gets.

And, I have so many more examples!

There were the framers who decided to 'do it their way' and, instead of a half wall, they decided to build a full wall and move all the windows in the house down by 12". Discovering this after the fact led to a conversation that went kind of like this:

Us: "The drawings say the window sill is 3'-0" above the floor."

Them: "Oh, well we usually do it at 2'-0" so the window headers match the doors."

Us: "Well, the drawings all say the sill is 3'-0" above the floor."

Really? I can hear them now, "Who needs plans? We don't need any plans! We're the professionals." Until they had to redo it, of course.

The same framers left out a pocket door because we were "showing a barn door in the plans".

A towel bar. We were showing a towel bar.

Or, how about the deck stairs that weren't built to code standards? Who needs a stringer in the middle of the stairs, anyway?

Then, there are the roofers who tore off the existing roof, and didn't come back before the monsoonal rains a few days later. The rains did irreparable damage to the rest of the building.

The bad stain job on another deck that had to be redone, costing time and money.

The window flashing installed upside down.

The front door opening that was an inch too small because they didn't read the product cut sheet.

The list goes on and on.

Here are five ways to find a good contractor:

1. Hire the best, not the cheapest

Even if they charge a higher hourly rate, this will save you time and money in the long run. A good contractor (or subcontractors) will know how to do the job properly the first time, will do it faster, and will know how to read plans to build it according to the design.

2. NEVER, and I mean EVER, hire your friends

Much like Gremlins, no matter how much they cry, no matter how much they beg, never hire your friends to work on your project. The only exception to this rule is if you are friends with the BEST local contractor in your area and, even then, I advise against it. You have no leverage to fire your friends if they are doing a horrible job or another problem arises. This should be reason enough not to hire them.

However, there are other reasons. You have to work with them in what becomes a stressful environment, even under ideal conditions. This stress can put a real strain on your relationship. Just don't do it. Your friendship isn't worth it.

3. Look at their reviews from third parties

Look them up on every single place you can think of for reviews: google ratings, social media pages, Better Business Bureau (BBB), Contractor's licensing board, etc. You really need to make sure you know who you are dealing with.

Now, one bad review may be a bad experience all around; but if they have several, just move on. The BBB and licensing board will give you a good picture of any complaints against a disreputable contractor posing as a reputable one.

4. Get Referrals

The easiest way to find a good honest contractor is to get a referral from a trusted friend or colleague. Get a few names from a few people and compare them. Don't just trust them because they are referrals, but they are a great starting point.

5. Research the contractor

Look at their past projects and their style. Does it align with your project? Look at their work history and who they have worked with. Don't be afraid to ask for references from your potential contractor/s. Call the references to see how they work and worked with them. Checking with third parties (from the list in #3) is highly recommended.

As you prepare to hire a contractor, doing your due diligence in vetting your contractors is well worth the time and effort. Because ultimately, if we take the time to draw out your design, finesse it, render and model it, help you select materials, and work with you every step of the way, then the tile guy messes up their installation and the windows are all framed too low,

Well....

What's the point of doing drawings at all?