Owning a house is probably one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. You have no landlord to answer to, complete freedom to adapt and upgrade the property according to your personal needs, and you are building equity over time… Seriously, what's not to like? 

Well, this is not really a detriment, but it should be pointed out that owning a property comes with a certain responsibility, and making sure your house is well maintained and renovated on a regular basis finds itself at the very top of this list of challenges.

Since these works are usually performed by hired contractors, it's easy to see that how successful you are going to be will depend on the team you are going to assemble. Let us take a look then at some of the simplest and most effective tips that will help you hire the right team for your next home renovation.

Define your goals and pen down the budget

In ideal circumstances, renovations are performed to address some specific problem. Performing expensive upgrades just for the sake of it is the best way to burn your money with little to no effect. So, before you set out to do anything else, be sure to have a clear idea about what you want to achieve (beefing up home value through energy efficiency, upgrading the look, etc.), see what interventions will be best, and meeting these goals, and, finally, how much of it you can afford. Once you have all these things on the paper, you will have a much clearer idea about the costs regarding contractors.

Set parameters you will use for contractor ranking

These parameters will depend on a variety of reasons like the time you are performing the works and the type of those very upgrades. Let's say you live in Australia and you want to equip your home for the next rainy season. Well, when looking for services of gutter replacement in Brisbane, you should aim for the people known for speed and efficiency since you will be constrained by weather factors.

But, generally speaking, all the people and companies that will register on your radar can be roughly assessed with these core qualities:

• Cost considerations – Here, we are talking about the upfront costs of hiring contractors, as well as hidden costs, and long-term financial considerations.

• Quality of final work – Essentially, the contractors need to possess the necessary equipment, experience, and skills to finish the projects with high-quality workmanship.

• Building permits, licenses, and insurance – In other words, the contractors you are going to hire need to comply with all legal prescriptions, and requirements.

• Time and efficiency – Finally, the contractors need to be able to finish the work in optimal time, in the agreed timeframe, and with optimal efficiency.

Depending on your future renovation project, you may add some additional requirements, but even these four core principles will go a long way in helping you rank the candidates.

Get recommendations from the people you know

People always trusted the recommendations from their peers, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t leverage this old strategy as well. And, keeping in mind that home renovations are fairly frequent, there is a very high chance your close friends and family members will have some previous experiences they would like to share. Even if they had negative experiences, these insights are still valuable since you will at least know which companies to stay away from. Still, just to be sure, ask your friends to back up their claims and allow you to inspect their properties and assess the quality of the works.

Ask the references from the contractors

You will do this regardless of whether you have previously got positive recommendations from your acquaintances or not. There is no way you can assess the quality of some team based on a single property. Fortunately, experienced handyman services will have no problem providing a few references vouching for the quality of the work they perform. So, don’t be lazy and contact these references, inquire about the whole experience these people had working with the contractors, and check if the testimonials are genuine. Before and after photos will make this research even more effective.

Consider the factors relevant to the project

What we want to say is that the contractors you are going to hire don’t need to be able to perform everything, but they need to excel in the areas and possess resources relevant to the project. For example, if you are going to perform bigger upgrades, it is critical that your contractors use the latest-gen tools and resources like CAD drawings and BIM models. These factors are not relevant for the projects like tile replacement so it’s not really fair to count their lack as a detriment when assessing the hired labor. Knowing what to look for, however, will require a good dose of research so do your homework.

Compare at least three offers

You will do that even if the contractors already on your radar sound like a good pick. Obtaining at least three bids will allow you to hold each candidate under closer scrutiny, get more quality insights by asking consistent questions to different parties, explore topics and arrangements that may not be possible with your preferred company, and, finally, give you a stronger negotiation point. Treat this research like a job interview and don't be afraid to ask complex questions and consider factors like punctuality and decorum.  All these things speak about someone's work ethic and are worth exploring.

Wrapping-up

Well, we hope these couple of suggestions gave you a better idea about the methods and tricks you can use to ensure the people you are going to hire for your next renovation job will ensure the optimal quality of the work. Home renovations are an integral part of home ownership and they influence a whole array of factors ranging from property equity to the very quality of your life. Make sure then that the contractors that will perform these duties will be able to rise to the occasion and provide you with a performance worthy of the place you call home

Author Bio: Marie Nieves is a passionate blogger with an eye for design, a flair for storytelling, and a love for culture. She contributes regularly to various blogs and online magazines, all while satisfying her wanderlust by exploring states and countries near and far.

Cover image by Image by gpointstudio on Freepik