Finding a High-Quality Home Remodeling Contractor

For many homeowners, hiring a quality remodeling contractor is a task that is only undertaken a few times in their lifetime. As a result, when vetting potential candidates, they'll go through an elementary, surface-level background check.

Typically, they'll meet the candidate in person, look through their online portfolio and testimonials, and then speak with friends and neighbors to see if anyone knows or has worked with them before.

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For many homeowners, this vetting process works fine. However, when you're talking about a significant project costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, it's probably worth the extra effort to find the right remodeling partner.

Let's look at some critical information to ask when interviewing potential contractors. These questions will help you find a high-quality remodeling contractor before signing a contract.

Go Beyond The Portfolio - The Details Matter

An excellent way to get a real feel for the quality of any remodeler's work is to ask them to see a recently completed project. A picture can only show so much. Visiting a past remodeling project to examine the details up close, can help ensure that the quality of their work is the level you're looking for. When you get into the kitchen, bathroom, here are some things to look for in terms of quality installation and finish work.

• Paint

Walk up to the wall, close your eyes, and run your hand over the wall. Do you feel any anomalies like drip marks, rough patches, or other inconsistencies? If you do, it's not a quality job. Look for clean cut-ins at the ceiling, and an even finish – if the walls are eggshell, they should look eggshell, evenly, everywhere!

• Trim

Much like quality tile installation, a quality trim installation is about precision. It should be very geometrical and straight. Check the crown molding. Are the corners seamless and tightly mitered? Check the door and window casings. Are they level? Do they have clean straight lines and neat edges? There should also be no visible nail holes or apparent seams visible.

• Tile

A sound installation is one where all of the tiles are square (they butt up to one another at 90-degree angles), level, and installed "flat" (no tiles are jutting out or indented). The finished grout lines should be thin, even, and neat. Basically, look for tiles that look smooth, are evenly placed, with thin, clean grout lines.

• Countertops

Look closely at the countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. If they exhibit poorly placed seams or significant gaps that have been filled with caulk, it's a sign that they were probably not templated correctly.

• Doors and Cabinets

This one might seem a little forward; after all, you don't typically open cabinets and drawers when you visit someone's home. However, a good test of quality installation is to open and close a few cabinet doors and drawers. They should move smoothly without sticking.

• Lighting

Good lighting design will incorporate ambient, task, and decorative lighting elements. Look at the lighting design in general, is it natural, or does it focus or concentrate on a single source? Are the can lights evenly spaced and straight? Make sure there are no flickering lights, this can be a sign of faulty wiring or a bad fixture. Make sure dimmers and switches are logically laid out, accessible, and functioning correctly.

Getting a first-hand look at a recently completed project can help you to get a much better idea of the quality remodeling work a prospective contractor performs. After you've seen a current project, make sure to gather some additional information to guide your decision better.

Ask about the scope of work and the customer's expectations. If possible, try to get several references in addition to the home you visited, and speak with the homeowners. Ask if there were any challenges and if so, how were they resolved? Have there been any warranty issues? The answers to these questions are often just as important as the level of quality craftsmanship.

Define Your Project

As you enter the vetting process, it's important to have your project clearly defined and outlined. Doing this will enable you to provide your potential contractors with a comprehensive outline of your job. Ideally, you should try to get four or five bids for your project. Be wary of any bid that is too cheap or too expensive.

If you have defined the scope of work, finishes, materials, and other details, have contractors provide line-item bids so you can carefully compare items. If a particular item varies widely across proposals, you may need to define that item better.

PRO TIP: Make sure that your remodeler has a defined process. Ask them: What steps will you be taking in design? What will happen during construction? Is it in writing? A company may have habits, and a great company will have a written process that you understand.

All this being said, sometimes you may decide that a contractor that comes highly recommended by someone you trust, might be enough of an endorsement. Ultimately, who you choose to work with comes down to several factors, including price, workmanship, and chemistry. You may find a contractor who understands your vision, has the experience that you're looking for and comes highly recommended. The better you can define your project, the easier it will be to vet potential contractors.

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 5/6/2021.

If you live in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area and are planning a remodeling project, give the experts at Degnan Design Build Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963. Their award-winning design team is ready to help you realize your creative vision. Call today and arrange a free consultation to discuss your upcoming project.

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An Above the Garage Master Suite Addition Remodeling Project

We recently completed an addition for our clients, John and Amy, a professional couple with young children living in the Blooming Meadows neighborhood in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Their home featured three bedrooms on the second floor. The existing master bedroom was outdated and impractical for modern living, and with three young children, two needed to share one of the two remaining bedrooms, and all three kids shared the second-floor bathroom. Another problem the family needed addressed was that John needed a private home office, and the one they currently had was a shared space that did not work well for his job.

Let's take a look at our creative solution for this young family!

A New Private Bathroom for the Adults!

One of the major elements on John and Amy's wish list was a private bathroom space just for them. They wanted plenty of space to get ready in the morning, away from the kids, and we delivered! The bathroom features a handcrafted Amish custom double vanity with a tower cabinet in alder wood, stained Carbon Gray. The contrasting Linnstone Quartz Calcutta pattern countertop brightens the space and ties in visually with the elegant tile work in the spacious walk-in shower. We added custom alder wood framed mirrors stained in the same Carbon Gray as the cabinets to complete the vanity. Over each of the mirrors, we installed Quoizel 2 light vanity fixtures to provide plenty of warm light.

In the shower, the 21st Century Tile 12x24 floor-to-ceiling tiles in Tivoli Silver give the room a bright and modern feel, and the low entry shower makes entering the shower safe and easy for the couple. We included a helpful niche in the shower for shampoo and other toiletries and, for contrast, used a beautiful hexagon mosaic accent tile. The glass doors give the space an open feel, making it bright and inviting. The Arbor Hills luxury vinyl plank flooring in timber adds a warm feel, giving the room a natural look with the benefit of waterproof LVP.

The Result

The final result of this second-floor master suite addition is a home that fits John, Amy, and the kid's needs and lifestyle perfectly. John now has the perfect private office space. Since John and Amy now have their private master suite, and each of the kids has their own bedroom giving them their own space to grow as they grow, their home is more comfortable and functional. And on the exterior, you can't even tell there's been an addition!

Are you considering an addition or other home improvement project? Let us help you design the perfect finished space! If you live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. We can take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Ready to learn more? We're always happy to answer your questions.