“Doctors and lawyers thoroughly explain procedures to their clients, and contractors should do that, too,” says Bonny Weil, owner of Bonny Weil General Contractor in Martinez. “A contractor should be available to a client from proposal to completion, and even afterward. A contractor should also spell out—in layman’s terms—exactly what the contract and scope of work entails, so clients know exactly what they’re paying for.”
Ms. Weil also believes it’s important to check references, but not for the reason most people expect. “You’re probably not going to find someone who says, ‘Yes, they were awful.’ Checking references will give you a better sense of what it’s like to have this contractor working on your house. You’ll hear about the nuances that are important to you, like neatness, availability and punctuality. You want to determine if their work style is compatible with your lifestyle.”
Ms. Weil says two bids are generally enough for a project, but interview a variety of companies and talk to their references to get a feel for whom you want to work with. If two contractors give essentially the same price, you know the bids are reasonable. If not, you have a basis for asking why they’re different. “You want to compare apples to apples,” she explains. “Take care to give the same specifications and instructions to each contractor so they don’t have different visions for what’s included in the scope. It’s important to clarify that before work starts.”
Ms. Weil believes it’s unfair to ask a contractor to bid on a project unless they have a reasonable chance of winning it. Once the final decision has been made, Ms. Weil also recommends that clients tell the other contractors why they didn’t win the bid. “Just be honest with them,” she advises. “It’s terrific feedback that contractors often have a hard time getting. They want to know where they came in on price, presentation, flexibility and any other factors you felt were significant in your decision to work with another contractor.”
