GET CONTRACTOR REFERENCES/SEE EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS WORK

Aside from being comfortable with your contractor’s price, you need to have confidence in them as a business.  Do they provide a valuable product and service?  Are they reliable?  Can they clearly communicate:  both listen and advise?  One way to evaluate this is to look at their body of work.  You can get a good feel for a contractor’s quality from their portfolio.  Walking through an active project is very informative, as well.  Even though you may not see finished items, you get a sense for organization and cleanliness.  These two items speak volumes about a contractor.  Take note.  References help you get a feel for how reliable your contractor is.  It's good to ask a reference about how well the contractor communicated.  How clear were they with their pricing?  Did they set realistic expectations regarding the project’s schedule?  Would you use them for a future project?  Ultimately, we feel that a recommendation from a friend or trusted associate regarding a contractor holds great value.  You have already established trust with your friend or colleague, the fact that they are willing to vouch for a contractor says a lot.