How to Choose a Contractor for your Home Remodel Project

May 21, 2023

As a homeowner who is considering a home remodeling project, addition or renovation here in central Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, you may have heard that you should get a minimum of three building and remodeling quotes from general contractors, compare prices, check reviews, and so on. There are a lot of things that are important for a homeowner when you need to choose a building contractor, but sometimes getting multiple quotes can be confusing and stress inducing. This can be due to variations in technical talk, glamorous presentations coupled with a crafty salesperson, and pricing. Given the many variables in a building and remodeling project, how do you sort out the best option?

What factors should you consider when you need to choose a building contractor?

TECHNICAL TALK: It is obviously important that you hire a contractor who knows their stuff. Technical talk, however, does not always confirm that. At Platinum Construction as home renovation contractors we feel years of experience and the type and number of different projects to be far more valuable when looking for contractors. Any salesman can be trained in technical talk. More important than that is to know who is actually doing the build, and what is their experience with the type of construction project you want to do. Their experience will contribute to their ability to solve the inevitable problems that will arise during every building and remodeling project. Are you told, “We are the best.” or “Our subcontractors are second to none”? There simply is no substitute for years of building and remodeling experience and the variety of that remodeling experience. At Platinum Construction LLC, we absolutely have both, many years of building experience, and a vast variety of remodeling problem solving.

PRESENTATIONS: Everyone loves a glamorous presentation given by a cologne and flashy jewelry wearing salesperson, right? Although there is certainly a real art and science to presentations and sales, don’t get too caught up in pictures of other people’s jobs or tactics designed and delivered by someone who has never spent a day on a construction site, but rather is only a master of getting the signature. After all, your personal remodeling project is what is most important, and will likely look entirely different in your setting. It is important to envision your space, but there are many factors to consider above the fancy salesmanship and presentation for a building and remodeling project.

At Platinum Construction, we work with our clients to create something unique to them. We work to understand your vision that you probably have had long before you considered consulting a contractor. Our presentation is simple, detailed, and very unique to you and your remodeling vision. We work to bring your space to a reality and rely on our experience and our Platinum Promise to make it happen.

FINANCIAL PRACTICES: I don’t think I can find a single person who has not had themselves, or at very least heard of a contractor crook. Our profession has no shortage of less than stellar characters. It is easy to collect a down payment and sign a contract that promises the moon. It is another story completing the building and remodeling project. Basically, you have just given someone a large check with the hopes they will come back and do as promised. This clearly opens the door for possible seedy behavior. But what some customers don’t understand is that this may be out of necessity. Many small contractors are relying on deposit checks to pay for labor, materials, credit payments, and other expenses from other previous renovation or building projects. This may cause delays or the financial inability to gather materials to start your project before first gathering yet another deposit check. This can create a vicious cycle and is known to leave the consumer waiting, or worse, not ever getting the job completed without a refund. If credit and background checks were done by homeowners before hiring a contractor, many of these problems might be eliminated.

We are fortunate at Platinum Construction that we have developed a business model that does not involve credit issues and paying backwards. We would openly and gladly accept a background or credit check by our clients. In fact, we do not accept a down payment at contract signing. We collect our first payment for building and remodeling projects upon arrival on day one of the project. We show up to the building or remodeling site with some materials, ready to work. We believe this provides our clients an opportunity to build a trusting relationship from the beginning of the construction project. This, coupled with our Platinum Promise, assures our clients the most relaxing building or remodeling experience as possible. Platinum Construction is built on integrity, and that is the center of our business model and is in every decision we make for each of our clients, regardless of the size and scope of the build.

PRICING: Pricing is another variable that can lead to bad decisions and contribute to contractor horror stories. As a consumer you are likely tempted to get a deal, or shop based on price. In the building and remodeling arena, this is a horrible and often detrimental decision on the consumers’ part. Just as you would never consider shopping for the cheapest heart surgeon, you should not be looking for that on a major building or remodeling project. Just like the old adage claims, there simply are no deals that are too good to be true. When a contractor accepts a project he will not profit on, you will ultimately pay the price. Like all other businesses, building and remodeling companies have a bottom line and are in it to make a profit. There is a reason why successful companies charge what they do, and that reason is so they can ensure a great experience and the right results for you. These companies know their numbers and operate within them. They are not desperate, attempting to make ends meet, therefore cutting corners or abandoning the job altogether. In order to provide you with quality results, a quality company must price accordingly. This certainly doesn’t mean over pricing, but when a construction budget is realistic it ensures the client a superior building and remodeling experience.

At Platinum Construction, we know our numbers, and this allows us to price competitively with the ability to promise you the experience you deserve. Our Platinum Promise is the center of our company – it drives our process and our mission. In order to achieve the best possible quality and service for you, we must price our building projects to fit this model. We promise to provide a fair price to ensure your experience to be superb in every way.

In summary, multiple quotes have a place, but caution yourself about getting hung up on any one of the many details of a building or remodeling project. Do not subscribe to confusing yourself. Realize the value in a building company that has remodeling knowledge, experience, great financial integrity, and an understanding of where a job needs to be priced. At the end of the day, this is what is of most importance for a building and remodeling project. If you live in central CT or MA and are looking for a building and remodeling company that fits this description, please reach out to Platinum Construction LLC. We certainly have what you need, and are seeking clients that want to experience the best building and remodeling experience around.