How to Find a Good Contractor for Your Remodel

Which One Do You Need? – Home Remodel Contractor, General Contractor, or Handyman?

When planning a home upgrade, the first challenge is finding a specialist whose skills match the scope of the work. The difference between a handyman, a general contractor, and a home remodeling contractor lies not only in price but also in licensing, the range of services, and the level of responsibility.

Handyman

A handyman is a general-purpose worker for minor home improvement tasks that take less than 1 day. This specialist works well for fixing leaking faucets, replacing outlets, painting walls, or patching roof shingles. The main advantage is versatility. However, a handyman rarely has the narrow expertise of a licensed electrician or plumber. On top of that, many handypersons do not carry full insurance coverage. That is why we recommend hiring them only for cosmetic or minor repair work.

Home Remodeling Contractor

If your goal is a bathroom makeover or a complete kitchen renovation that involves a structural layout change, you need a remodeling contractor. This specialist understands how all home systems work together. They guide the project from planning and material selection to the final finish. They make sure the result meets building codes and stays within budget. House contractors focus on long-term projects and usually do not take small hourly jobs.

General Contractor and Subcontractors

We hire a general contractor to complete complex multi-phase home renovation projects. Their main role is management and coordination. They may not do the hands-on work. Instead, they hire subcontractors such as electricians, flooring installers, roofers, or HVAC technicians. The home renovation general contractor manages pros, reviews estimates, secures permits, and checks quality at every stage. 

What to Look for When Hiring a Contractor

Making the right decision when choosing a qualified contractor requires a level head and an organized strategy. Your priority at this point is to eliminate “operators” who are only interested in making a quick buck, and to find a legitimate home contractor with a strong reputation and a high standard of workmanship and safety.

Focus on these criteria to hire a contractor who will deliver exactly what you expect:

Verify Legal Status

Before you even think about signing a contract with a contractor, always require them to provide you with evidence that they hold a current and valid contractor’s license, as well as proof that they are insured. The reasons for doing this are twofold. First, you want to ensure that you have liability protection in case the contractor is injured while working on your property. Second, you want to ensure the contractor has all the equipment needed to repair any damage that may occur during their work.

Look Beyond the Price Tag

While the affordable cost of hiring a contractor may be tempting, it is generally true that a contractor who charges less than others for comparable services is likely to be using substandard materials or rushing the job for profit. When comparing estimates from different contractors, insist on a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the work, including all materials, labor, and required permits. This will allow you to compare apples to apples and determine which contractor offers the best value for your money.

Conduct a Phone Interview

Before inviting a contractor to your home to discuss project details, conduct a phone interview to assess their communication skills and professionalism. Ask them questions such as how many jobs they typically perform at a time and who you would contact if you had questions or concerns regarding your project. Pay close attention to the contractor’s responses, as well as the tone and pace of their voice. These characteristics will give you insight into how they treat customers.

Visit Active Job Sites

Request permission to visit a job site under construction rather than a completed one. Observe how the crew organizes and stores its equipment and materials. In general, a well-managed job site indicates whether contractors enforce safety standards, adhere to schedules, and maintain quality control.

Require Bonding

The simplest way to protect your finances is to require the home contractor to obtain a performance bond. If the contractor fails to complete the job, the bond will cover the cost of completing the work. Additionally, if the contractor’s employees fail to receive payment from the contractor, the bond will cover their wages.

Rely on Word of Mouth

Asking friends, family, and neighbors about their contractor gives more reliable information than photos or testimonials. Ask them specific questions, such as whether the contractor kept their commitments regarding timelines and delivery schedules, whether the workers were respectful, and how their overall experience was.

Evaluate the Team

Find out how long the contractor and their crew have been working together. A cohesive team works faster, makes fewer mistakes, and delivers more consistent results than one that is constantly changing.

Set Reporting Rules

Establish guidelines for how frequently you will receive updates from the contractor, whether through photographs, video, or regular reports. Reporting rules are essential for jobs that involve hidden elements, such as electrical wiring and plumbing. Use a single communication channel to ensure that both parties remain informed and focused.

Build a Strong Working Relationship

You will likely communicate with your remodeling contractor weekly for several months. Develop a relationship with this individual based on open, honest, and transparent communication. 

What Sets a Professional Contractor Apart

Finding a contractor isn’t about finding someone who will do a job; it’s about finding someone who will be a project manager. Although many can get something done, few have the project management skills or experience to take their job to the next level.

The characteristics of a contractor that take them from good to great include:

Transparency and Excellent Communication Skills

Contractors should not only keep clients informed but also manage their expectations by providing a clear understanding of potential issues, such as delays, permits, and other regulatory hurdles. Contractors who hide problems like budget overruns are poor communicators and create stress for everyone involved. 

Adaptive Problem-Solving

Problems often arise during a construction project and they need to be solved quickly. Professionals can adapt, solve on-site problems, and move the project forward.

Commitment to a Clean Workspace

Contractors who care about how their customers’ homes are treated will maintain a clean job site. Top contractors will take the time to develop and implement plans to reduce dust and debris and make sure the job site is cleaned up at the end of each working day. 

Meticulous Craftsmanship

Contractors who are meticulous in their craft will not wait until the final inspection to discover defects in their work. They will check their work throughout the project to make sure everything is done correctly. For example, they may perform quality checks after they frame a house and again after the electrical rough-ins. 

Excellent Project Coordination

Contractors who are good coordinators will use the reliable subcontractors and ensure that the plumbers, electricians, and inspectors they cooperate with will show up at the scheduled times.

Financial Integrity

Contractors who give a clear breakdown of costs and communicate any scope changes are financially accountable and transparent. A good contractor will have a “no surprises” policy and will document and obtain the client's written approval before performing any additional work.

Streamline Your Search for Local Home Contractors with MyHomeQuote

When you need work done on your home, MyHomeQuote helps you reach the right contractors and subcontractors without extra searching or guesswork. You can count on our free platform to request and compare offers from local professionals who match your project type.

A Simple and Clear Process

We made the searching and matching process easy and transparent so you can get results in just a few steps:

1. Describe your project.

You fill out a short form on our website. Your answers help us understand what kind of work you need and what you expect.

2. We match you with contractors.

Our system reviews your request and sends it only to partners who work in your type of project and are available for new jobs.

3. Get offers.

The selected home remodeling contractors contact you by phone or email. They prepare preliminary price estimates based on the information you provided.

4. Make your choice.

You compare the offers and choose the one that best fits your budget and timeline. You decide who to work with, and you can decline any offer.

A Free Service for Homeowners Nationwide

Our contractor-matching service is free for homeowners. We get paid by our partner companies, who pay for the chance to receive new projects. This does not change the price of your work. You get a direct and fair quote from the contractor.

A Large Network of Dedicated Professionals

We work with more than 70,000 contractors across the country in 12 different service areas. Our partners can help with:

• Roof repair and replacement
• Gutter installation and repair
• New windows and siding
• Solar panels and HVAC systems
• Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
• Plumbing and flooring

If you are looking for a contractor and want to give our service a try, start by filling out an online form. It takes just a few minutes of your time. We take care of the rest, matching your project needs with our database of professionals in your ZIP code.