You want to hire a professional to do some home renovations and updates? That’s great! As I repeatedly say, ‘just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.’ That’s a story for another time, but as you can imagine I’ve seen my fair share of renovations that haven’t gone well.
I recently hired a flooring company to install new wood floors throughout my house and was so excited to get rid of the horribly worn and disgusting carpet. I thought I asked all the right questions to make sure this was a qualified team that was proud of their work but lesson MASSIVELY learned. There was so much more I should have asked, clarified and gotten in writing.
Most of us ask about price and timeline, and maybe like me, you assumed everything else would be obvious (ie. you treat my belongings with some R.E.S.P.E.C.T) but that is not always the case. I even asked for a referral and read reviews online but even those checked out. As I’ve learned, someone else’s experience or expectations may be very different from yours and that’s ok. But if for any reason, the hired professional doesn’t like these questions, blows you off or an answer doesn’t sit right with you, do not hire them! Trust me on this. You want a team that cares for your home like it’s their own (or in my case, hopefully better than their own). For reference, I arrived back to my house with a bathroom that looked like a gas station rest stop with no attendant, dirty footprints ON furniture, my backdoor unlocked, my personal items used but not put back, a broken tile in my kitchen that no one told me about and the list goes on….
I hope this post can help you have a better experience and avoid a horrible experience. Below I outlined questions to ask your hired professional with a little commentary + my opinion on how it should be handled.
Pricing:
1. *An obvious start, ‘What does this cost?’
2. How often is the actual price higher than the estimate? By what percentage/amount?
3. What types of issues could happen to cause the price to increase?
4. When is payment due?
5. How can I make the payment? (cash, card, Venmo/PayPal etc.) Is there a discount for using a particular payment system?
*DO NOT make the final payment until have you have had a final walk-through and inspected the work. I repeat, DO NOT MAKE THAT FINAL PAYMENT until the work is satisfactory! A company that is proud of their work will understand and be ok with this process.
Timeline:
1. What is your start and completion date? What could cause this to take longer than estimated?
2. What is your arrival time and when do you finish each day?
Other:
1. Will I need to be home on site while you work?
*If you are not home, make notes of where you will leave your key. I suggest buying a combo lockbox for $10 from Lowes.
2. How should I prepare my home before you begin the project? Do you move bigger furniture pieces out of the way as needed? Will you put items back in the correct place?
3. *If you’ve been living in your home and it currently has furniture, personal belongings etc. ‘What will you do to protect my belongings?’
*In my opinion, for jobs that will kick up dust and debris, there should be a containment wall or dust barrier (pictured below) at the very minimum. Even if items are covered by a tarp or sheet there will still be dust. I suggest packing up as much as you can in bins or boxes to help with the post construction cleaning process.
4. Accidents may happen, if so, how is this handled should something break/get misplaced etc.?
5. When you’re in the home, what is your current COVID/sanitary protocol?
a. Are masks worn inside the home? Booties? Gloves to move personal items?
*Don’t forget that you can set the standard for your home! I personally hate shoes in the home, so once my new floors are installed and cleaned, I expected all workers to remove their shoes or wear booties.
6. Who does a final walk-through at the end of the evening to confirm doors are locked, lights are on or off (whatever you prefer) and house is left in the condition you have communicated (in writing) to the project manager?
7. What is your cleaning protocol post-construction?
a. Do you have a cleaning team? Do you cleanup at the end of the work day? If so, what does that entail?
8. Who is my main point of contact should I need to be in touch if there is an issue during construction or post-construction?
*Don’t forget to get that contact information!
9. If there is an issue post-construction, how is that handled?
a. Will your team come back out? Is there a fee?
And finally, GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. As a lover of the good ole fashion phone call, it’s not always best practice. We need those agreements in writing baby!
Good luck, hire a true professional and stand your ground if something doesn’t sit right.
Dust barrier installed by HiRes Atx, a residential home construction company located in Austin, Texas **the team I should have hired!