Top Contractor red flags to watch out for in your first call
Everyone seems to have a story about the bad contractor they hired. We have compiled the best stories we have heard to make a failsafe list for you! Keep these in mind the next time you have to hire a contractor.
They offer free quotes.
This is a big one, and a hot-button topic as well! After working with all types of contractors for the past 20 years, we can confidently say that the best contractors know their worth. A high-quality contractor has a lot of experience and has been around the block a time or two. Good contractors know how to weed out the tire-kickers who will waste their time, get a quick ballpark quote and then disappear. A contractor who can ballpark a project without having seen it in-person is likely to have missed several crucial details! Lower quality contractors often know they don’t have the expertise to attract customers, so they rely on gimmicks like free quotes to reel folks in.
They don’t return your first call within 24 hours.
Unless it’s a holiday, emergency or they are working in an out-of-service area, a high-quality contractor will return your call within a day or so. Bottom line.
They aren’t professional.
Many in the trades today get a bad rap because of the unprofessional, rude and sloppy contractors out there. There are many high-quality contractors in the US who will be just as professional as someone in another industry or trade. Don’t settle for less!
They are vague.
Contractors have a lot of factors to juggle: the weather, their work schedule, parts and materials availability, you name it. However, a top-notch contractor will be upfront and honest with you when discussing your expectations for the project. Someone who can’t explain that is probably so-so with organization, scheduling and pricing too, which may mean some unpleasant surprises for you later on.
They don’t listen
We get it; you’re busy. When you call a contractor, you may not want to spend much time on the initial call. However, be wary of contractors who don’t invest time into fully understanding your project. You will need a contractor who is a good listener so they know what you expect.
Those are the top 5 red flags we have heard about! Are we missing any? Let us know!
