How to choose the right Tulsa Siding Contractor
The title of this blog could actually be “how to choose the right contractor” as well because this is actually a huge task but there are really some simple ways to help you narrow down the right person for the job. Here are some bullet points to help you figure out if the contractor that you’re thinking about hiring is going to be a good contractor, do the project efficiently, on time and with great craftsmanship:
- Did the contractor show up on time to the appointment?
This is such a huge first impression… If the guy didn’t even show up to the first appointment to tell you about what they can offer and how they can offer it then I would just not even entertain a quote from that individual. This is a precedence that should be set from the beginning and unless there is a big issue like an emergency or something like that that comes up in life that I would not look at this contractor that did not show up to the appointment on time as a viable option for you in your home. Again, this is a first impression and extremely important!
- Is the contractor a real “pro”?
In this scenario I see a ton of “salesman” as opposed to true professional showing up to peoples homes, telling them how they should do their project and what they need for their home but they’ve never had a toolbelt on in their life or even touched a 2×4!!! If the guy shows up in a Toyota forerunner or a Nissan Murano you should probably run! This means that it’s a salesman and maybe they were a painter in their past life or something like that but they really have never installed siding windows or doors and you’re gonna trust this guy to tell you all about your home and how you should spend thousands of dollars fixing it the way that they tell you like they are some professional? You should definitely run from this scenario as well. Make sure you talk to someone that’s actually done the work, actually have had calloused hands from swinging a hammer.
These days I see more and more “contractors” that just want to be transactional and make some money on a project instead of really creating amazing, Long lasting solutions to make your exterior maintenance free or really close to it. It seems to me that a lot of these guys don’t have the background knowledge to talk about the details of the installation. This is a great way to test this with someone at your home… Ask them exactly this question, “walk me through the entire installation process from start to finish”… if they start talking about who’s going to schedule the project and when the materials going to show up as opposed to how are repairs are made, moisture barrier installed and what type of fasteners are used then you know you have a problem.
I would also stay away from this type of contractor has their margins are probably too high because they have to pay a salesman and they want you to go to a show room to close you on a project instead of having a nice conversation about what you need and coming up with a well informed solution.
- Online reputation
This can be a really good way of checking out a contractor or a company prior to having them at your home. Tulsa being so small the word gets around really quickly if someone is not very good so also ask your neighbors. Google is a great place to check out online reviews but I would steer clear from places like home advisor or Angie’s list as they are now the same company and they are a “pay to play” company. This means that they actually only promote people that are paying them a fee to promote their name. About five years ago Angie’s list was actually a really great resource for people with a really genuine game plan. Angie’s list used to you have a great list of contractors and the highest ranked contractor was always at the top, this is not the case anymore… The highest rate contractor can be buried on page number five while the guy that pays the most money is the top contractor that Angie’s list shows. I don’t put much weight in Angie’s list anymore because of this and I don’t think consumers should either.
Also, the Better Business Bureau of Tulsa can be a good resource to check out reviews because there is accountability through the Better Business Bureau. One know about the Better Business Bureau… The company does not need to be accredited to show reviews or have a rating. All the accreditation from the Better Business Bureau means is that they have paid a $450 fee per year to be accredited. All the other information that you need to know about that company is on the Better Business Bureau website of Tulsa whether they are credited or not which is really nice for the consumer. Beware of companies with outdated photos or pictures that are not even in the genre of work on their google business profile.
Being a contractor in Tulsa for so long and having such an excellent reputation on how we handle situations and our overall ratings has opened the doors for me to be an influence outside of my company, such as being an expert witness on siding projects that have gone wrong. They need someone to come in and tell them how the best practices in the industry should have installed that project and how the product is not installed properly. Unfortunately, this is a very common occurrence for me to be summoned to be an expert witness on a project. You would not believe what I’ve seen and what contractors will do because someone went with the cheapest price or they got a roofer to install their siding which is a huge no-no.
So the message is that I’m trying to tell you through this blog post is BE SO CAREFUL WHO YOU HIRE TO WORK ON YOUR TULSA HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We would love to work for you and we will do it with integrity, professionalism and a great attitude! Please let us know if you would like us to come out and give you an estimate anytime!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog and please call me for any other questions!
Sincerely,
Steven Jones
Owner
Tulsa Renew Siding Company
918-960-1639
CLICK HERE to fill out a form and I will give you a ring very promptly!