You have been dreaming about putting a deck on your home, and now you are ready to do so. The first step is finding a qualified local deck contractor to do the installation. You have seen some advertising and even have a friend make a recommendation, but you would want to make sure that you contact the right company to complete the project of your dreams.
8 Tips For Finding The Right Deck Contractor
Make sure your contractor has a valid business. The best way to do this is to seek out a contractor and then verify that they have a legitimate place of business, website, and phone number. The FTC https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0242-hiring-contractor#Finding has stated that door-to-door salesmen are often associated with less legitimate businesses. Avoid the contractors that only have a phone number or P.O. Box as a point of contact for their company. The Illinois Attorney General also provides a great resource in regards of avoiding home repair fraud at https://ag.state.il.us/consumers/tips.html
Feel out the estimate for more than just price. You want to make sure that you are dealing with a company or representative that is interested in building the deck You desire, not the one they want to sell to you. Getting recommendations from the representative is one thing, just as long as you end up with a quote for the deck and materials you desired. Make sure that the deck builder is familiar with the product he is offering and this is his passion, not just a sales job. If you comparing estimates, make sure you also compare the materials that the decking contractor will use. Are they composite, with a long warranty, or just plain old wooden ones? At the end of the day remember that “Cheap is not good, and good is not cheap!”
Ask for a start and a finish date. While some reasons may affect the desired timeframe, such as bad weather, your contractor should be able to give you a precise start and a finish date for your project or at least a timeframe for completion.
Seek a point of contact. Ask the representative, who the point of contact would be on the project and how you can interact with them while the project is ongoing. This is very important because you want to reach to whoever is in charge, without any interference, in case there is a problem. If they do not know which crew will be working on your project, then ask if they provide this information, the day before the project starts.
Ask if any subcontractors will work on the project or if it would be just their company completing the work. This is an essential detail to know because it could have implications on your property. If the company is using subcontractors, you will need to have a Release from Lien document created. This way, if the company does not pay its subcontractors, they cannot take a lien out against your house in lieu of a claim for payment. It is always better to use a decking company with its own crew to complete the entire job.
Who would be pulling the permits? You want to work with a company that will deal city and obtains the permits to perform the work. Any contractor that asks you to get a homeowner's permit is most likely not a legitimate company. The Pros at My Royal Deck will always obtain all of the necessary permits and work with your Village/Town Officials to make sure that everything in your backyard is done by code.
Are they licensed and insured? You can check with the State of Illinois about the status of a business license https://apps.ilsos.gov/corporatellc/CorporateLlcController You can request proof of insurance from the contractor, and also call the insurance company to verify that a policy is in force before the work begins.
When it comes time for signing the contract, make sure you know the warranty that is being offered? You want to work with a local company like the decking professionals at the Royal Deck, who will provide you with a warranty on the supplies they have used and as well as on the workmanship. This is the best protection for your new investment.
