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Five Things You Must Know When Hiring a Contractor

01/16/20 | Organize Your Home, Organizing

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Making home improvements can be an exciting and scary process. Having a vision and then picking the right contractor to create it isn’t as easy as it seems. Read my post to find out the five things you must know when hiring a contractor. Don’t forget to grab your free interview questions from my free resource library to guarantee a successful experience on your next home improvement project.

Making home improvements can be an exciting and scary process. Having a vision and then picking the right contractor to create it isn't as easy as it seems. Read my post to find out the five things you must know when hiring a contractor. Don't forget to grab your free interview questions from my free resource library to guarantee a successful experience on your next home improvement project.#homeimprovements #peregolas #contractor #hiringacontractor #lakelifestateofmind
Am I the only person who feels like they are on an emotional roller coaster ride when it comes to making home improvements? One minute I’m excited about the new project that is about to take place, only to be filled with fear and worry the minute something doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Not having the handiest husband (He does have plenty of other amazing talents!), we always have to hire someone when thinking of making any improvements to our home. Unfortunately, we have had our share of horrible experiences and made many mistakes when choosing someone for the job. It can be pretty scary!

Through many failed attempts and a ton of wasted money, we have finally figured out the right steps to take when hiring a contractor for the job. We just recently went through this process for two outdoor projects here at the lake. One of the projects, our new pergola, was completed today. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome! You can see the amazing transformation throughout this post.

We hit a home run with this contractor because we now know what to look for and what questions to ask when interviewing for the job. Wondering how we picked the best person?

Here are the 5 Things You Must Know When Hiring a Contractor

  • Recommendations
  • Schedule multiple estimates – Use my free interview questions (available in my free resource library – get the password at the bottom of this post)
  • Do some homework
  • Review your estimates
  • Contact contractor/contractors you want to work with
Five Things You Must Know Before Hiring A Contractor

Our Before Photo

Recommendations: The minute we decide on a project we want to do in our home we begin asking around to all our family and friends to see if they know anybody who can do the job. When someone you know has had work done by a contractor, you have a pretty good idea of the quality of work you will receive. If you can’t find any recommendations from family and friends you can always try using something like the Nextdoor app or a paid service such as Angie’s List. Keep in mind that some of these sites or apps might have people who just like to complain for fun (pretty annoying!), so use them with caution. If you have done your research, and find the contractor’s work appealing, schedule an estimate and see how you feel after meeting with them.

Five Things You Must Know Before Hiring a Contractor

The Materials

Schedule multiple estimates: I’m sure you’ve heard the concept of getting a second opinion. This doesn’t only pertain to doctors, folks. I highly recommend that you schedule at least 3 different contractors to come out and give you a quote for your home improvement job. At the same time, too many estimates can become overwhelming. A safe number is somewhere between 3 to 5 estimates. This number gives you the opportunity to “interview” for the best candidate for the project.

To help you with the interviewing process I’ve created a list of 10 questions you should ask any contractor before hiring them. Print multiple copies and place them on a clipboard so they are easily accessible when you are meeting with the contractors. The questions are available in my free resource library. You can get the password at the bottom of this post.

Five Things You Must Know Before Hiring a Contractor

Measuring and Taping

Do some homework: Search the contractors’ websites, Pinterest, or Google for some ideas and inspiration for your project. You don’t need to know every color or finish you want in your project, but you should be prepared to give the contractor a general idea of what you are looking for. From this, a good contractor should be able to add their own “vision” into the project and come up with a plan. Most importantly, having a general idea of where you want to go with the project will allow the contractor to come up with a more accurate quote since they have a better understanding of your wants and needs.

Five Things You Must Know Before Hiring a Contractor

We have 4 posts!

Review your estimates: I recommend waiting until you get all your estimates before you start digging into them. It’s nice to have them all side-by-side so you can compare apples to apples. Most contractors should have their quotes to you in a decent amount of time, definitely less than a week. Honestly, if you have to hunt a contractor down for their estimate you probably don’t want to do business with them anyway.

With most home improvement projects comes a budget, but I warn you not to just automatically sign on with the person who has the lowest quote. On the flip side, don’t assume that just because a company is charging more for their services that they’re going to have the best product. Look at all the estimates and make a list of exactly what you want to be done for your project. You will have a better picture of this after looking at all your estimates.

Five Things You Must Know Before Hiring a Contractor

Let the building begin!

Contact contractor/contractors you want to work with: In most cases, we tend to end up with a couple of contractors we are willing to work with after going over our estimates. Construct an email listing all your wants and needs and send it to the remaining contractors. Ask them to provide a more specific estimate now that you have a clearer picture of what you want.

Remember that there is always some room for negotiation. With this in mind, it’s okay to add in your email that you have narrowed your search down to one or two other companies. This will guarantee that the contractor will respond with their best price in hopes of outbidding their competition.

Five Things You Must Know When Hiring a Contractor

Starting to take shape.

With this method, Patrick and I were able to secure an amazing contractor. He put together this beautiful pergola from scratch! Following these steps, along with asking the right questions when interviewing for a contractor, is the perfect combination for getting good quality work with little to no headaches along the way.

Five Things You Must Know Before Hiring A Contractor

The Piece De Resistance 💜

With the construction now out of the way, the decorating can begin. My favorite part! Stay tuned for my upcoming outdoor space decorating reveal. 

Curious to see what the inside of our lake house looks like? Check out some pretty pictures in this post.

GET MY FREE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS PERFECT FOR PICKING THE BEST CONTRACTOR FOR THE JOB!


Want to remember this? Post 5 Things to Know Before Hiring a Contractor to your favorite Pinterest board!

5 Things You Must Know When Hiring a Contractor

5 Things You Must Know When Hiring A Contractor

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I'm a wife, mom of a teenager, coffee addict, sunshine obsessed Florida girl, and a lover of lake life. On this lifestyle blog, I share all things fun and creative! You’ll find simple recipes, organizing and entertaining tips, holiday inspiration, and of course, a big dose of lake life living. It’s my mission to help you create a life anchored in family and fun. ⚓️

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lakelifestateofmind

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Lake Life State of Mind

Tiffany | Lake Life+Style Blog

lakelifestateofmind

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Jan 16

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Our kitchen got a little extra love in the form of some Valentine’s Day dish towels and pretty pink flowers. Simple, cheap, and definitely worth the effort to add a little Valentine’s Day cheer to your kitchen space.💗❤️💗❤️
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On a different note, what’s for dinner in your house tonight? I’m racking my brain trying to think of something. Help!!🤣
.
 http://liketk.it/365HX #liketkit @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home #LTKhome #LTKSeasonal #valentinesdecor #kitchendecor #simpledecor #lakehousedecor #lakehouseliving #lakehouselife #seasonaldecor #valentines_day #prettylittlething #prettyinpink #lakelifestateofmind

Our kitchen got a little extra love in the form of some Valentine’s Day dish towels and pretty pink flowers. Simple, cheap, and definitely worth the effort to add a little Valentine’s Day cheer to your kitchen space.💗❤️💗❤️
.
On a different note, what’s for dinner in your house tonight? I’m racking my brain trying to think of something. Help!!🤣
.
http://liketk.it/365HX #liketkit @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home #LTKhome #LTKSeasonal #valentinesdecor #kitchendecor #simpledecor #lakehousedecor #lakehouseliving #lakehouselife #seasonaldecor #valentines_day #prettylittlething #prettyinpink #lakelifestateofmind
...

99 54

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Jan 15

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❤️💗❤️💗Three things I’m loving from this week:
1. Our heat lamp and new television that got put up in our pool area! 
2. Week two is almost complete for my #bootyandthighchallenge and everyone is killing it!
3. My new Valentine’s Day decor that makes me smile just looking at it!
❤️💗❤️💗
.
I’d love to know something good from your week. Let me know below. ⬇️
Shop my Valentine’s Day decor  ideas through @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/361pQ #liketkit #liketoknowithome 
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#valentinesdecor #valentinesdecorations #vdaydecor #homedecor #homesweethome #cozyhomedecor #homedecorlove #homedecorideas #coffeelover #coffeetime #coffeebar #coffeebardecor #coffeebardecoration #drinkstationlove #drinkstation #tieredtraydecor #tieredtray #targetstyle #targetdollarspot #targetfinds

❤️💗❤️💗Three things I’m loving from this week:
1. Our heat lamp and new television that got put up in our pool area!
2. Week two is almost complete for my #bootyandthighchallenge and everyone is killing it!
3. My new Valentine’s Day decor that makes me smile just looking at it!
❤️💗❤️💗
.
I’d love to know something good from your week. Let me know below. ⬇️
Shop my Valentine’s Day decor ideas through @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/361pQ #liketkit #liketoknowithome
.
#valentinesdecor #valentinesdecorations #vdaydecor #homedecor #homesweethome #cozyhomedecor #homedecorlove #homedecorideas #coffeelover #coffeetime #coffeebar #coffeebardecor #coffeebardecoration #drinkstationlove #drinkstation #tieredtraydecor #tieredtray #targetstyle #targetdollarspot #targetfinds
...

94 61

lakelifestateofmind

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Jan 13

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Can you spot the pink in this photo?! It’s hard to believe that Valentine’s Day is one month from today. Starting tomorrow, my feed is going to be taken over by hearts, pink, and all things love. For today, I’m just giving you a little tease. I purposely took this picture with my back to my mantle because it’s about to get a Valentine’s Day update and I want it to be a surprise.🥰
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Anyone else feeling the itch to decorate for The Day of Love?!?!❤️❤️❤️
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#bhghome #lakelifestyle #lakehousedecor #lakehouseliving #lakehousedesign #lakehouses #lakehome #lakehomes #livingroomdecor #moderndesign #stairs #staircasedesign #bhgstylemaker #bhg #tealdecor #lakelifestateofmind

Can you spot the pink in this photo?! It’s hard to believe that Valentine’s Day is one month from today. Starting tomorrow, my feed is going to be taken over by hearts, pink, and all things love. For today, I’m just giving you a little tease. I purposely took this picture with my back to my mantle because it’s about to get a Valentine’s Day update and I want it to be a surprise.🥰
.
Anyone else feeling the itch to decorate for The Day of Love?!?!❤️❤️❤️
.
#bhghome #lakelifestyle #lakehousedecor #lakehouseliving #lakehousedesign #lakehouses #lakehome #lakehomes #livingroomdecor #moderndesign #stairs #staircasedesign #bhgstylemaker #bhg #tealdecor #lakelifestateofmind
...

97 57

lakelifestateofmind

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Jan 12

Open
“Memories at the lake last a lifetime”...i.e. Like when Zach recently went to put the cover on the boat and his phone fell out of his pocket into the water. Or when Patrick thought he was hitting the brake on his friend’s jet ski and it took off like a 🚀 causing chaos. Or when we almost sank our pontoon in the middle of the lake.🤣🤣🤣
.
Lake life is amazing but isn’t always perfect. Any funny bloopers you have of you or your family at the lake, beach, or even the pool? Our family can’t be the only ones...can we??!!🤔
.
#lakelifeisthebestlife #lakelifestateofmind #lakeliving #lakelife⚓️ #lakefun #familytime #bloopers😂 #funtimes😊 #familyfun #oops #funnymoments #classicmoments #lakehouselife #lakelife #memorykeeping #memorylane

“Memories at the lake last a lifetime”...i.e. Like when Zach recently went to put the cover on the boat and his phone fell out of his pocket into the water. Or when Patrick thought he was hitting the brake on his friend’s jet ski and it took off like a 🚀 causing chaos. Or when we almost sank our pontoon in the middle of the lake.🤣🤣🤣
.
Lake life is amazing but isn’t always perfect. Any funny bloopers you have of you or your family at the lake, beach, or even the pool? Our family can’t be the only ones...can we??!!🤔
.
#lakelifeisthebestlife #lakelifestateofmind #lakeliving #lakelife⚓️ #lakefun #familytime #bloopers😂 #funtimes😊 #familyfun #oops #funnymoments #classicmoments #lakehouselife #lakelife #memorykeeping #memorylane
...

103 64

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Jan 11

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You know how much I love you all, right?! Enough to embarrass the heck out of myself in a SPORTS BRA in my stories for you. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Many of you wanted a review and try-on of my recent Amazon workout purchase so that’s what I did for ya...very awkwardly.🤣
.
Head to my stories for my honest opinions along with all the details for the items I purchased. I also linked everything in @liketoknow.it so you can easily shop if you see something you fancy. The link is in my bio.🙌🏼
.
#liketoknowit @liketoknow.it https://ltk.app.link/iK7zlUW6Xcb #leggings #comfyoutfit #amazonfinds #amazonfashion #ltkfit #athleisure #activewear #fitnessmotivation #womenfashion #sportsbra #activetop #fitnesswear #momstyle #exercise #workout #orlandoblogger

You know how much I love you all, right?! Enough to embarrass the heck out of myself in a SPORTS BRA in my stories for you. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Many of you wanted a review and try-on of my recent Amazon workout purchase so that’s what I did for ya...very awkwardly.🤣
.
Head to my stories for my honest opinions along with all the details for the items I purchased. I also linked everything in @liketoknow.it so you can easily shop if you see something you fancy. The link is in my bio.🙌🏼
.
#liketoknowit @liketoknow.it https://ltk.app.link/iK7zlUW6Xcb #leggings #comfyoutfit #amazonfinds #amazonfashion #ltkfit #athleisure #activewear #fitnessmotivation #womenfashion #sportsbra #activetop #fitnesswear #momstyle #exercise #workout #orlandoblogger
...

97 74

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Jan 6

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What’s your favorite day of the week? If I had to pick one I’d say it’s WEDNESDAY. Wednesdays in the Hernandez household are designated as family days...no ifs, ands, or buts about it.😉
.
With Patrick working crazy hours, Wednesdays are actually the only consistent day of the week for the three of us to be together.  We do our best to take advantage of it as much as we can! Sometimes we have big plans, but more often we just hang out doing errands together and maybe grab lunch or dinner at a restaurant. It’s most definitely more about the time spent for us than finding something epic to do each and every Wednesday.❤️
.
Today’s activities included hair cuts for the guys, a comic book run for Zach, lunch, a trip to Aldi’s, and some sunset lake portraits. The perfect day! Swipe if you want to see the “real” Hernandez clan acting like the crazy family we are during our lake portraits!🤪
.
If you don’t do so already, I encourage you to join me in being more intentional with spending time with your family. Pick a day or time that works for everyone and commit to you all just being together. I can assure you it will quickly become your favorite day of the week too!🥰
.
#lovemyfamily❤️ #lovemyfamily #familytime #familyfirst #familyiseverything❤❤❤ #familyislove #spendingtimetogether #qualitytime #parentsquad #parentinglife #parentingteens #parentingteenagers #qualityfamilytime #lakelifestateofmind

What’s your favorite day of the week? If I had to pick one I’d say it’s WEDNESDAY. Wednesdays in the Hernandez household are designated as family days...no ifs, ands, or buts about it.😉
.
With Patrick working crazy hours, Wednesdays are actually the only consistent day of the week for the three of us to be together. We do our best to take advantage of it as much as we can! Sometimes we have big plans, but more often we just hang out doing errands together and maybe grab lunch or dinner at a restaurant. It’s most definitely more about the time spent for us than finding something epic to do each and every Wednesday.❤️
.
Today’s activities included hair cuts for the guys, a comic book run for Zach, lunch, a trip to Aldi’s, and some sunset lake portraits. The perfect day! Swipe if you want to see the “real” Hernandez clan acting like the crazy family we are during our lake portraits!🤪
.
If you don’t do so already, I encourage you to join me in being more intentional with spending time with your family. Pick a day or time that works for everyone and commit to you all just being together. I can assure you it will quickly become your favorite day of the week too!🥰
.
#lovemyfamily❤️ #lovemyfamily #familytime #familyfirst #familyiseverything❤❤❤ #familyislove #spendingtimetogether #qualitytime #parentsquad #parentinglife #parentingteens #parentingteenagers #qualityfamilytime #lakelifestateofmind
...

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