After your home has been impacted by a disaster, life becomes filled with worries about how to proceed forward. You need to rebuild in order to move on with your life, but it’s not usually very easy. While the actual process of reconstruction might seem like the biggest hurdle that you’ll face, many homeowners find that their struggle begins long before the work begins. Finding the right contractor to handle the job is a big deal. You want to make sure that you’re going to be working with someone who understands your predicament, has all of the accreditation to prove their knowledge, and can be trusted to keep your best interests in mind.
All too often, shady contractors feel much too comfortable in leaving homeowners to hold the bag while they make off with their money and leave behind an unsatisfactory or even incomplete restoration. This is your home we’re talking about, and at Restore Pro we prioritize your safety and satisfaction so that you can focus on recovering during this difficult time.
Below are three very important questions that you should ask of any contractor you interview before making a commitment.
1). “What is your business history?”
This might sound like a loaded question-and that’s because it is. However, any potential contractor should be able to answer this question as it pertains to:
- State licensing to operate as a contractor
- Worker’s compensation, property damage and liability insurance
- Membership with a professional association
- Any history of bankruptcy
Just like when you submit an application for a job, your contractor should be able to provide a list of references when they make a bid for this project. Follow up with these references via telephone call, email or even in-person to get a better idea of how this contractor conducts business.
2). “Are you familiar with my insurance company?”
Insurance companies and contractors have a working relationship that you can use to your benefit. While a contractor cannot tell you exactly what will be covered by your insurance policy, they should be fairly knowledgeable of the company in which your insurance policy is held. Your contractor should be able to give you an idea as to what will, in fact, be covered. At Restore Pro, if we suspect that any aspects of the restoration will not be covered we will alert you and work with you in formulating a plan before moving forward.
Additionally, your contractor should be aware of how to go about billing your insurance company to minimize headaches that can come with this part of the process.
3). “Are you bringing in subcontractors or work crews?”
This question relates to question one above; as you will want to ensure that anybody who sets foot on-site is covered by the contractor’s insurance policies. Otherwise, an on-site injury can become a tremendous pain for all involved-including you. Many contractors bring in other experts to complete the job in a timely fashion, but this does make for some additional complications that must be accommodated, including:
- Making sure that all transactions between all workers are well-documented
- Ensuring that when the contractor isn’t around, there is someone trustworthy to act as a supervisor on-site
- Inquiring whether or not the crew will clean up after themselves. Large crews make for large messes, and you probably don’t want to deal with that yourself.
When you are considering which licensed professional to restore your home after a disaster, consult Restore Pro for all manners of restoration efforts. Give us a call today at 781-664-9800 or get in touch with us on Facebook. We have two decades of experience in helping families recover after their homes have been damaged by disaster.
