Hiring the right contractor
By Patricia Nugent
Over 45 successful years in the home construction business, Acclaim Renovations & Design founder Bob Gallese has picked up a thing or two.
His company has seen an uptick in business following the pandemic, as people have been stuck in their homes and are eager to pull the trigger on a transformation.
But before you start looking for the best firm for the job, Bob offers some cautionary advice.
Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover
“Inviting a team of workers into your home involves a high level of trust,” he says. “Contractors understand that. Unscrupulous ones might make promises and seem very confident they understand you and can do what you want, so don’t rely on how likable a person is. You should dig deeper than first impressions.”
How to Select a Best-Fit Contractor
“Nowadays, we are seeing people have five or six contractors bid on a job, which is really too many,” says Bob. “With so much information available at your fingertips, there’s no reason why you cannot narrow your search down to one or two contractors before inviting them into your home.”
When doing your due diligence, he suggests making sure a candidate is recommended by the Better Business Bureau.
“Another important thing to look for is if the company has a brick-and-mortar presence,” he says. “And how many positive reviews do they have…one or two, or 20 or 30? Definitely find out how many years they have been around.”
He suggests that a reputable company will have many photos of its work within its website’s portfolio. Look at the work closely. Is it similar to the scope of what you want to accomplish in your home?
“Successful and dependable contractors do their best to showcase their work,” he explains. “If you’re looking at a contractor who does not have an online portfolio, that would be a serious red flag.”
Surprisingly, word of mouth isn’t necessarily the best way to find a contractor.
“This week alone I booked two big jobs where I have to fix problems caused by a previous contractor that the homeowner hired solely based on word of mouth,” says Bob. “The problem with that is the person who recommended that contractor might not have had the same job that you are interested in.”
The Importance of Transparency
Once you have hired the right contractor, Bob says it’s important to be upfront with him or her about what you are willing to spend on the job.
“The first thing a car dealer asks a customer who walks on the lot is how much they want to spend, right?” he asks. “And that’s a scary question to answer. But when it comes to home remodeling, it saves time and money to have every party be on the same page.”
He explains they cannot do their job to the best of their ability if a customer is beating around the bush about their budget.
“We want our clients to get the most bang for their buck,” he says. “And they won’t get that without honesty and transparency.”
This is the attitude that led Bob to introduce the Co-construct app to his clients. Every selection, cost and timeline are available to them 24/7. And they can follow correspondence from the project manager, too.
Acclaim Renovations & Design powered by One Man and a Hammer is located at 8550 East Avenue in Mentor. The company has been awarded Contractor of the Year by NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry). Acclaim craftsmen are following all the CDC safe practices for Covid-19. Call 440-974-8082 or visit AcclaimReno.com to see an extensive portfolio of home makeovers.