4. Past clients. Nothing in the world of marketing is as effective as a good referral or testimony. Does your contractor have a history of happy customers? Can he produce them (testimonies) if asked for? Does he have good reviews across multiple platforms? Past clients can provide an invaluable source of information on their experience with a particular contractor.
5. Price. Does price communicate? We live in an age of heavy consumerism where we want something, we want it now, and it has to be the best quality. Too often, we settle for immediate gratification rather than holding out for something better. Like a line from a song written years ago by Steven Curtis Chapman, “….its like playing Gameboy sitting in the middle of the Grand Canyon?”
There’s a reason this is given last. Many contractors hoping to add value to someone’s life usually want this P to be the last consideration, not because they are greedy swindlers looking to make a high profit, but because they’d rather be judged by other attributes of their company before price alone. Price reflects value. Always. Is your builder offering you the “best price” in a competitive market, or are they offering lasting value that might take a bit more time & energy to create. Do they offer the value of a caring & shepherding culture throughout the build process? Do they take the time to hear and understand what you want without imposing their ideals? Many people don’t often think about the value of many behind-the-scenes customer service features of a particular business model, but there are many and they will either help or hinder the total experience.
This is where many homeowners typically stumble in their contractor-finding mission. Don’t settle for the lowest bid to save money, but look for the value (sometimes hidden & subtle) that your builder will offer.
Scoring. Rate each P category 0-10 and tally your total score from 0 (very poor) to 50 (excellent). 50-40 Excellent– Ideally, your final choice of contractor should be in this range. The contractor is friendly, efficient, has vast experience, has many positive reviews and charges fairly based on type of project. 39-30 Good– The contractor is friendly but may have fewer reviews and a smaller portfolio, most likely because they are relatively new in the market. But they have proven themselves in the short time they have been around and the prices are not too bad. 29-20 Moderate– The contractor may have several unhappy past clients or they may not be experienced in your specific kind of project. You may also feel that they are charging a bit too much. If you decide to go with a contractor in this range, be sure to ask lots of questions in the areas that you are concerned about. 19-0 Fail– they perform poorly in most if not all the P’s. Avoid at all cost.
Crossroads Construction endeavors to be in the excellent category in all things. We will NOT be the cheapest contractor around, but we desire to be around for future generations to trust.