A home remodeling company focuses on kitchen, bathroom and whole house remodels and renovation. They also offer a full range of plans, interior design and construction services for your project.
Full-service remodelers will focus on your project until it’s finished. Unlike contractors who juggle jobs, they will dedicate a team to your project.
1. Experience
Whether you want to transform your home into your dream living space or raise its value before selling, you need the right contractor to work with. This is why the experience level of a remodel company should be one of your key considerations.
Unlike general contractors, who may have shallow skillsets and rely on subcontracting expertise, remodeling companies have in-house specialists who can help you with the design, planning, budgeting, permitting, and construction processes of your project. The head of the remodeling company may even have professional designations and accreditations such as a Certified Kitchen Designer or Certified Aging in Place Specialist.
Additionally, full-service renovation companies are a master at managing multistage remodeling and renovation projects. Having experienced project managers checking in on your project on a regular basis ensures that the job stays on track and avoids costly mistakes like overlapping work periods. In contrast, a general contractor often has trouble managing juggling multiple jobs at once and may have to rework your timeline if they aren’t able to complete a task on time.
2. Reputation
A good home remodel company should have a solid reputation, both online and in the community. Look for reviews on websites like Google and Yelp. It’s important to look at both positive and negative reviews, as well as how long the home remodeling company has been in business.
The best renovation contractors also have a strong portfolio of previous projects to show their work and expertise. Ask the company if you can go on a job walk, which is a great way to see how they run their business. Whether they are using zippered plastic to seal off the work area or providing daily clean up, it’s an indicator of how professional they are.
It’s also a good idea to check with the Better Business Bureau, which provides reviews that are independent of payment. However, the BBB does take a fee to be accredited, so make sure you read the fine print of their rating.
3. Insurance
Home remodeling can add to the value of a house and make it more functional. However, it may also necessitate changing or increasing a homeowner’s insurance policy to accommodate the project. This is particularly true for projects that increase the replacement cost (or price of rebuilding a home) or cause the homeowner to be away from the property during construction.
A full-service remodel company will have a professional liability policy that is specifically tailored for home renovation work and will list the homeowner as an additional insured. In contrast, many smaller contractors will buy a general contractor’s policy that only meets minimum state law requirements and is often full of exclusions.
A remodeling company should have builder’s risk coverage that offers protection for building materials stolen or destroyed while the project is in progress. Medical payments coverage is also essential for homeowners to have if someone gets hurt during the renovation. Depending on the type of work, some remodeling projects can increase a homeowner’s insurance premium while others decrease it.
4. Customer Service
A successful home renovation business is dependent on customer satisfaction. It is the underlying force that keeps customers coming back for more and also spreads positive praise through word-of-mouth and referrals to potential new clients. The best residential remodeling companies prioritize providing world-class service, and they will always be ready to provide solutions in order to keep the project on track. This can be accomplished by using a website with contact forms where leads can submit their information and basic details about their home remodel needs. This information can be used to generate initial leads, and it is crucial for a home remodel company to follow up with these leads promptly.