How to Choose a Partner for Home Repairs, Maintenance & Remodeling

1. Ask your circle for recommendations
   Having family, friends, neighbors or a trusted realtor recommend a partner based on their own positive experience is an easy first step on your research journey to find the right partner for your projects.
   
   Not getting great referrals from your inner circle? Try industry Yelp and Google for a list of popular providers in your area. The Better Business Bureau can also help you gain a clearer understanding of a potential partner’s professional reputation. You can use the recommendations you find through these sources to build your list of potential candidates for your project. 
2. Look for experience 
   The most important question you want to answer when looking for a home repair, maintenance or remodeling partner is an obvious one: Are they up to the job? Delve into the experience levels of anyone you’re considering to get answers on how long they’ve been in business and the type of projects they typically take on (and if they’re similar to yours).  
    
   Another potential indicator of experience and longevity can be found via the partners contact info. Do they have a website or business cards that list a professional office or workspace? A cell phone number is great to be able to reach them on the go, but a partner with no physical address (where you’ll be able to find them) can be a big red flag you’ll want to avoid. 
3. Request references from the partners you’re considering 
   References unequivocally go hand in hand with experience. If your partner clears the experience and expertise hurdle, what do the customers they worked with say about them? You’ll want to be able to get a feel for the quality of their work as well as their work style—how effectively they communicate and the level of service they provide to their customers. 
    
   Ask them to share references from previous clients—three or more—and don’t stop there. Your potential GC should be able to share financial references as well, from their bank or suppliers, to confirm they pay their bills in a timely manner and that they’ll be able to procure the resources needed to complete your project to your specifications. 
4. Check availability 
   Yes, a good home repair, maintenance or remodeling partner is obviously going to be a popular (and busy) one. But what will that mean in terms of their workload and the prioritization of your project? Do they have time to devote to your needs? This is also why you’ll want to determine a timeframe for completing your project up front. There may be bumps in the road, but you need to know you can count on them to complete your project within the agreed-upon timeframe. 
5. Schedule an in-person meeting 
   You can definitely learn a lot about the professionalism of a potential partner by doing research in the areas we covered so far. But once you narrow down your list, it can be helpful to request an in-person meeting. That way you can discuss the project in more detail and get any questions you have answered.
6. Don’t forget a written quote or contract 
   Before your chosen repair, maintenance or remodeling partner gets started, you’ll want to have agreed on the price and sign-off on the proposal or contract. If your project deviates from the original terms along the way, be sure to document the changes. This helps ensure everyone stays on the same page and that your expectations will be met. 

By doing detailed research, you’ll set yourself and your home project up for success.