How To Hire An Adelaide Home Renovations Contractor

As a home owner, there may come a time when you need a home renovations contractor . As early as now, you should have an idea of how to hire one. Home renovations are similar to typical construction—you must not go wrong with hiring the right person or team. Our home renovations service in Adelaide can provide expert renovations to you.  

Here at Australian Construction, we will show you several tips on how you should hire a contractor to renovate your home. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to make an informed decision as far as hiring contractors are concerned.

1. Make phone calls

The first tip that we have is to do your research. Make phone calls so you can find contractors in your area. Do not just concentrate on your local listings, but also try to find contractors from nearby cities. This phone call should make or break your decision.

At this stage, you are not yet hiring. You are merely inquiring. Your goal here is to find several potential contractors that you will be talking to in person later on. The kind of conversation you have should allow you to decide if the contractor you talked to is a professional or not.

Use the internet for your research. You can go to Facebook groups and then look for contractors. You can also use a search engine and simply type Adelaide home renovations contractor. If you do this, you will see a lot of contractor websites where you can get phone numbers from.  

As you speak with the contractors, take note of how their demeanour. Find out how long they have been in the business. If they do not treat you with respect and if they do not seem excited about the job, look for another contractor.

2. Look for a license

Once you have a shortlist of the contractors you want to talk to in person, you have to go there and speak to the contractors in person. Ask them if they have a license.

Yes, this may sound like you are intimidating, but this is necessary. You should only work with licensed contractors like us. Why? Because a license is an indication that the contractor is a real engineer—and that he has passed the expectations of the law.

Australia has a building code, and all people who put up structures are expected to comply with this code. If you work with a licensed contractor, you are guaranteed that your house is going to be compliant with what the government expects.

The same goes for all components of the house, such as the foundation, plaster, cement render, and so much more. In addition to this, a licensed contractor is also bonded and insured. A bond is a protection against financial loss in case the contractor does not complete the project.

The insurance is for the people who are working on your property—you will have no liability in case an accident happens during the construction.

3. Experience and reputation

Another thing you should look for when hiring a contractor is experience. Home renovation is not like cooking a hamburger. A badly grilled burger is easy to repair or throw away. But for a house? A mistake can be costly.

Do not work with contractors who have less than five years of experience. We are not saying that they are not qualified. We are only saying that the contractor is not yet exposed to many problems that can occur if something goes wrong.

We at Australian Construction have been in this industry for over 20 years. We have renovated so many houses, and we have seen all sorts of problems. Because of our experience, we can forecast potential problems, and we can prevent them from happening. For unforeseen events, we know what to do.  

You must also work with a contractor that has a positive reputation in your community. How will you know this? Ask friends and family. You can also go online, find the Facebook account of the contractor, and then see what people have to say.

4. Check for negotiations

Make sure you only work with contractors who are willing to negotiate. This includes paper works and documentation.

Many contractors charge for the cost of the project plus 20% of it. You should look for contractors who are professionals—those who will draw up contracts and document what you should expect. The contract must also say that the contractor will issue receipts for you every time you pay.

You can also ask the contractor to give you a quote on a bid-basis. In this type of contract, the contractor will tell you how much the home renovation is going to cost in total. From there, you will pay the contractor on a regular basis. The cost is already inclusive of their profit.

Earlier, we mentioned that you should speak to several contractors. Ask them for a quote for the project cost. Then, take the average. The average cost of what they are asking for is the price that will be your guide.

If possible, do not pay in cash. Contractors that want cash are probably scammers. The best way to protect your money is to pay in cheque or credit card. Be careful, and make sure that you only deal with legitimate contractors.

Look for a contractor who will take the time to write a contract—one that stipulates all the details of the project.

Summary: Adelaide Home Renovations Contractor

Now that you know what to look for from an Adelaide home renovations contractor, it is time for you to pick one. It is fine to shop for several contractors. Take your time and then make a shortlist. Only choose from the ones that meet the conditions we specified here.

Give us a call at Australian Construction. One of our home renovations experts in Adelaide will will get on the phone with you to discuss your needs. We will also schedule an ocular inspection to see your property. The home renovations team in Adelaide will provide you with a plan, and a quote, and then proceed from there if you are happy!