Have you ever decided to work with a contractor for a home renovation project, and went with the lowest bidder to save a little money? This is exactly what my husband and I did over a decade ago when we wanted to build out an outdoor patio in our backyard. We couldn’t believe the quote was so low, until we started working with them on the project.
Almost immediately, we were underwhelmed by the company’s quality of work. They were late to arrive at the job whenever they did even bother to show up. They messed up the first two concrete pours, and if we hadn’t asked them to fix the errors, they would have just left it uneven. A couple of weeks into the work, they just stopped showing up for a few weeks. After many calls, we found out that the crew had all gotten sick, but no notice had been given to us. Needless to say, we got what we paid for.
In stark contrast, when we decided to add a paver patio to our new house a couple of years ago, we hired one of the more expensive companies to do the work. Not only were they on time or early every day, but they finished the job quickly and to a quality standard that we were beyond happy with. On top of that, they offered a lifetime warranty which we used just this past Fall to fix a few pavers that had started to shift. Even then, their service was above standard and exceeded our expectations.
When working with any contractors or companies, don’t dismiss options based on budget alone. The level of work that you get by hiring seasoned masters of their craft can often save you money and time in the long run. Consider how much longer a contractor with less experience might take to complete the same work that someone who has been doing it for decades can do it. Even though their hourly wage might be half the cost, you could end up paying MORE because of the amount of time they need to finish the same job. It’s most important to make sure that you feel confident in your potential contractor’s professionalism, experience and ability to complete the job to your expectations.
Also remember that many contractors are more than willing to work with you on meeting your budget. At Unmarked Street, we work with our clients to fit in our hours and tasks into their monthly parameters. Some clients need us to work only a few hours a week, but we get more done in those few hours than they ever expected! Other clients prefer to use us only for specific tasks while they continue doing other portions of the work. There are so many ways to work with experienced contractors who can offer you the best quality experience. Don’t be afraid to ask! We are here to help.