How to choose a contractor for repair?
There are several options:
- recommendations of friends and relatives who have already done repairs and have a positive experience;
- search through the Internet. Browse several sites and contact the contractor whose site you like;
- often there is an opportunity to use the services of the builder. Plus this option is that usually the developer works with good performers;
- search for a contractor at a special exhibition. However, this is not always possible;
- if you are doing repairs in a new building, you can choose a favorite option for repair from neighbors and find out who did it.
What you should pay attention first of all
If the contractor did not immediately like you, do not waste time on it: it is very unlikely that you will like it in the future. If even the slightest part of doubt has crept into the soul, then it is better to stop the dialogue right now. Here are some factors that you can target by choosing a contractor:
- availability of photographs of works. Portfolio, which you can evaluate the work, is for any good performer. By whether the contractor sends out adequate, prepared photos or done in a hurry, you can already make an impression of it;
- presence of people on the site. A good contractor will always find an opportunity to show an object, even if people already live there. Always pay attention to how the object is displayed. An unaccepted pass to enter the protected area already speaks volumes. At the same site, cleanliness and order are considered a good form, even if the apartment is in the process of repair;
- smoking on the site is prohibited;
- relation to finishing materials. If there is a mess at the site, keep in mind that the same masters will treat your finishing materials as well;
- good contractor will ask workers to retire for the duration of the object’s display. If you still had occasion to see them, pay attention to their appearance;
- if the repair is still in progress, the windows and the front door must be sealed, the windowsills should be clean and the finishing floors well covered;
- the qualification of workers can be determined by their instrument. Professionals will always be in good condition;
- presence of the company and the site. When implementing a serious object, the company must be present. It is best to work with a contractor, registered as a legal entity or at least as an individual entrepreneur: this proves the seriousness of his intentions. The same can be said about the site and the office: a good contractor has both.
Presence of the contract, guarantee obligations
The existence of a contract is mandatory, since first of all it is a document that holds an oral agreement. If something goes wrong during the repair, the contract will be very useful. Otherwise, it will be necessary to resort to the norms of legislation. The contract should indicate the list of works, their terms and cost, the financing scheme. The scheme of work should also be fixed in order to be calm in the future for the system of payment. All payments must be official and subject to the taxation system. Payment for work must be done in cash or by cashless settlement with the availability of cash vouchers.
The availability of warranty is also important. After the contractors have completed their work, it is necessary to be able to address them on a legitimate basis, if in the course of operation shortcomings are revealed. Under the legislation, the minimum guarantee period is one year for all types of work. A good contractor himself delivers the materials to the facility in order to remove these obligations from the customer. If he is not ready to do it, it is better to find another performer.
It is worth paying attention to the cost of work. Often contractors intentionally understate it, attracting the customer, but this is not right. The cost of all types of repairs should be clear, transparent and fixed, so that you have the opportunity to plan your expenses.
The contractor needs to be valued at average market value. To make your choice objective, it does not hurt to consider several proposals.
Legal details of the relationship with the contractor
The relationship between the contractor and the customer must be fixed on paper. The main thing is a legal payment, and the scheme can be different, and it is better not to break it. Each contractor welcomes its financing scheme. But if you have an agreement, you have a list of works, a fixed term for their implementation, quality criteria, so it doesn’t matter which scheme you will work with. Beforehand, check what the firm with which you are going to work is: read the reviews on social networks and forums.
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