Sara is looking for business providers in her area that can help her build an addition onto her house. She wants at least one bedroom, a half bath and storage space. She’s planning on suing the new addition as a mother-in-law suite or small guest area in case of visitors. She knows what she wants, but is a little daunted when it comes down to hunting providers to plan and execute the work. Her main criteria for the service providers she wants are a good reputation and work ethic, reasonable prices and the ability to complete the work before the holiday season begins. What is the best course of action for Sara to follow to find the best service providers for her project?
Talk to your Neighbors The first step in seeking out service providers for any project is to take the time to talk to your friends and neighbors about company’s they have used for the type of services that you are looking for. In Sara’s case, talking to those people that she knows have had construction work done on their home or office would be the first step to finding her service provider. What things should Sara ask about the providers her friends and coworkers recommend? - Is the company a local business? If so – has she heard of them personally
- What type of work did the company do for your friend?
- Did they stick to the budget, timeline and specifications of the job as noted at the beginning of the project?
- Were there any problems and if so, how did the company handle them?
- Were the customers happy with the work and has it held up since completed?
Surf the Web If you are still on the hunt after talking with your friends, then going to the Internet is the next best source. How you hunt providers is vital to successfully finding the right one for your project. Here are some tips for finding a local service provider who is known in your neighborhood: - If you are looking for a General Contractor (GC) to handle the entire project and you live in Michigan, you could search for:
General Contractor OR Builder AND Michigan OR GC or Builder AND 48755 (to find a contractor in your neighborhood)
Try to use local contractors – it’s easier to gauge reputation and reliability if they are known in your local neighborhood, and if you can check references of see their work first-hand.
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