|
I used to work for a company that dealt with lots of subcontractors in the Clark County area. You can always tell the type of general contractor by the type of subcontractors that they hire. The ones doing the bare minimum to squeak pass the building codes will hire the cheapest (and usually crappiest) subcontractors that they can find. The higher end ones will usually hire subs with the best reputations for good work, even if they are a little higher priced than their competition.
There are some fantastic builders in the area, and some exceptionally poor ones, too. Here are some things to do that can help you avoid the bad ones:
1.) Always double check their history with the Better Business Bureau and the licensing boards. I've never known a bad contractor who didn't have a horrible rating with either of them.
2.) Not only ask for but check their references. Don't just call the references, but ask if you can come and see the work that was performed so you can make your own assessments of the workmanship.
3.) Call local contractor supply companies and ask which ones they recommend. They sometimes have favorites that they feel comfortable enough with their work to endorse. Beware with this, though. Sometimes it's a buddy or just a good customer and not necessarily the best contractor. If you befriend someone at one of those stores, they'll be more likely to give you honest and accurate assessments of their clientele. (A good store to ask this at in the NW is Miller Paint. They have some of the most knowledgeable staff in the industry.)
4.) Ask others in the area which contractors they've had good experiences with. Also ask which ones they've had bad experiences with. You'll get a good idea of which way to lean. Keep in mind that some issues are communication problems and not necessarily workmanship problems. If your friend is easily riled or unreasonable in their requests, keep that in mind. And even if your friend didn't have a "builder" to recommend, the contractor that they like might.
5.) Be willing to pay for good materials. Contractors who prefer to use higher quality materials are usually better craftsmen/women who really take pride in their work and won't sacrifice their reputations.
6.) Once you've chosen your contractor, make a pain of yourself. I know this is a bit counterintuitive, but it's unfortunately necessary with most builders. Many contractors will try to get away with whatever they think they can if their client is too laid back. (I've even known one paint contractor to put a much lower quality paint into a really expensive paint can, just so his clients would think he'd used the higher end stuff.) Visit the construction site often. Check to make sure things are square/level/to code/to prints. Even if you end up with a crappy contractor, doing this will help make sure you don't own a lemon of a house when all is said and done.
7.) Figuring out what type of home you want before finding the contractor will make your search much easier. If you're looking for a well made home that will be your "dream" or "showcase", you're going to find a different set of people to work with than if you're just looking for a cheap, cookie-cutter box that will last you for a few years.
Good luck!
|
Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Builders in Vancouver
Linear Mode
