When we select the right contractor for our home improvement projects, we tend to think of the bottom-line price. We like to see “low-bid” because it saves us money, right? Perhaps, but for me, it boils down to the way the contractor communicates with me (more importantly with my wife). My wife is a control freak (she will admit it to you, too). She must know what is going on with the project at all times and is able to see how each team member is working toward our/her vision. For some contractors, this can be a problem.
What I like about contractors isn’t necessarily the bottom-line dollar amount, but the value that the contractor brings to the project. I expect a great craftsman and a team of professionals who conduct themselves professionally and are considerate of my wife and I because they are invading our home. When we had a major addition put on our home, my wife would often send me out to find out the questions she wanted to know the answer to (right away). Fearing that I would begin to annoy the contractor and give him an excuse to feel like he is being micro-managed, I would forge to the front line and ask my wife’s questions.
His crew was impressive to me because everyone continued to work (they rarely stopped throughout the project); while a single representative gave me his undivided attention. He smiled and walked me through the process of where they were in the stage of development and encouraged me to return with any questions. He took the time to educate us rather than building the addition. Not only did he build a beautiful addition to our home, he built trust in us. He is now on our speed dial for any new home projects.
