What contractor is right for you?
Can they be alone in my house?
Will they be using my bathroom?
Will they eat food from my fridge or cabinets?
How will they treat my pets when I’m not around?
Will there be a mess when I get home?
If they make a mistake will they own up to it and fix it or try to cover it up and pretend nothing happened?
If they find something wrong with my house they aren’t there to fix, will they let me know?
These are just a few of the many questions that come up for our homeowners looking to hire a contractor. There are many anxieties homeowners have about projects and Trustworthiness is a really big one. Unfortunately there are plenty of stories (fictional and true) about contractors betraying trust. It is sad for most contractors because most of the ones we know have very good intentions and are highly trustworthy people. How do you evaluate whether you can trust a contractor? Ask lots of questions. Here are a few that are obvious but there are also some that you might not have considered.
How long have you been doing this work and what have you learned over the years?
Describe your crew? What is their background and experience levels?
Can you provide me with references? What would they say about your strengths and weakenesses?
What is your plan for keeping my home secure while I am away and you are working in it?
Are subcontractors going to be in my home while nobody else is? If so can I meet them and get references from them?
Do you have policies around offensive language?
Do you have policies around smoking?
How will you be managing the mess that comes with a project?
What is your billing process?
Do you have insurances and can you provide certificates?
Can I see samples of your work?
If they are able to answer all of these questions with well considered answers you are probably working with people who have integrity and who take their work seriously. They are likely Professionals who understand about trust. Still, trust is a multi faceted thing. It is hard to build and is lost easily.
While meeting with a potential contractor you will have the opportunity to assess their attire, how they communicate with you and with each other. Are they listening to you? Are they engaged with you? Are they wanting to help solve your problems and achieve your goals? Are you the focal point of the meeting or are they the focal point of the meeting. A typical first meeting should feel somewhat like a balance between their sharing about how they work and listening to you, your concerns, your questions and then proposing some possible ways they can help. You also have an opportunity to hear whether they are realistic and comprehensive. Your felt sense of this will inform whether you can trust the relationship enough to move forward.