VIDEO - How To: Qualifying a Contractor -- Part 2

Welcome back for Part 2 of How to Qualify a Contractor. In today’s segment you’ll learn all about word-of-mouth reputation and how deep the internet goes!

Hi! I’m Annie Williams here today with Randy Hann from Contract Exteriors and today we’re  again going to be talking about how to qualify a contractor.

Annie: What specifically, if i’m a homeowner, hiring a contractor, should I look for when I’m in the market?

Randy: Sure, well, I would say the first and foremost thing you should look for is their reputation. In today’s age, you know, in the 80’s, it was word-of-mouth; but today it’s all about Google and the Internet. It’s about making sure you check everything you can online. When homeowners are looking at a contractor, the first source I would go-to is online.

That online will tell you more than you ever need to know about a contractor. It will tell them: Do they have designations that are important to them? What is their reputation in the industry? What are their homeowners saying about them, by surveys online? You have guildquality, which most contracts use. You have survey results from home advisors and Angies List. So do they have those types of things?

Also, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been around forever and it’s still around and it’s probably one of the best ones that a homeowner can call and ask. So, they [homeowners] need to do their homework when they’re looking to have work done to their home. They just don’t need to call a contractor out, give them a proposal, and just take their word for it.

Most contractors say they’re the best at what they do, but online actually tells the homeowner are they best at what they do. Do they say what they actually do, when they come out to do the job. If the customer has a lot of complaints to that contractor, or past customers, that’s a red flag I would definitely be worried about.

Then, do they act professional? Do they come dressed with a tie, if they’re sales people. Do they have a sales staff? Is it just the owner. It really depends on, they need to qualify on everything in that company; so when they go to a doctor, nine out of ten times, they qualify. What they don’t do is they don’t qualify a contractor. They don’t qualify that business, so the number one thing I would say is make sure they qualify that contractor and look online.

Annie: Well, I’m Annie Williams and this is Randy Hann with Contract Exteriors. You’ve talked a lot about James Hardie and the different designations so in our next segment, we'll talk about what that means to our homeowners.

How Does Your Contractor Measure Up?

There you have it! The latest installment from Randy Hann with Contract Exteriors -- your preferred Charleston roofing expert!

And if you're ready to update the look and feel of your Charleston or Myrtle Beach home, contact Contract Exteriors, today!