Countless homeowners hire contractors every year. Some have great experiences, some not-so-great. Obviously, you want to be in the former category.
As it turns out, there’s one thing you can do to greatly increase your chances of being happy with your contractor, and it’s probably not as obvious as you think. Before I blurt it out though, I will unearth the underlying concept at work. After that, I promise everything will make more sense.
Accountability. That’s right… you read that correctly.
You want to do business with a contractor who embraces accountability, and just because they have an LLC or insurance or a Facebook page doesn’t mean they will be held accountable.
One of the hallmarks of an accountability-embracing contractor is working locally. A certain feeling of community and teamwork is intrinsic to hiring a person – or business – that lives where you live, shops where you shop, and depends on the people you depend on, too.
Operating locally naturally drives a business to embrace accountability. Poor online reviews are one thing, but if people that you know – folks who live in your community – tell you NOT to hire a certain contractor, the chances are high that you will do business elsewhere.
There’s one sure way to fail as a contractor, and that’s to fail the people you serve in your community.
What does this mean for homeowners who are selecting a contractor? Great question – you’re really on point today.
Hire locally. That’s pretty simple, right? It’s a simple concept, but it can save you time and headaches. If you hire locally, your call won’t get routed to an office in Atlanta when your brand-new roof starts to leak (unless you live in Atlanta).
Here are 5 steps to help you weed out companies who are cruising through your community looking to make a quick buck and then duck:
- Snoop around on the big G. Do some research on Google and see if their business page includes an address and check out any reviews. Be fair though, and read both positive and negative experiences.
- Take note of phone numbers. If the phone number is not local, there’s a chance you’re dealing with a contractor that sends regional reps through your area but doesn’t really care about establishing a solid reputation there. However, if the company has begun to utilize 1-800 numbers or the like, that means they could still be local even if the phone number doesn’t reflect this.
- Ask where the office is located. If you ask a representative or salesperson where the office is located and they falter or hesitate, you have an indication that there is no local office. Of course, if they plainly tell you that there’s no local office, you know for sure.
- Creep around on the website. Look for the “About Us” section and take note of any location giveaways. It’s also helpful to note if the website talks about the owner(s) and offers up any information on their background or location. Most businesses are looking to leverage their proximity to their customers, so a local contractor will often make this information easy to find on their website.
- Ask about the owner(s). If a representative you’re speaking with knows the owner – or at least knows of them – that’s a great thing! It probably means that the company is tight-knit and the owner may be overseeing daily operations. It’s possible yet unlikely that he or she would be doing so from a very remote location.
- Here at Smithrock Roofing, we’ve heard some downright horror stories about customers hiring a seemingly reputable contractor (with a blog and everything!) only to find out that they had no local presence when an issue arose after the job was completed.
Smithrock Roofing is located in the Triad of central North Carolina and we love to serve our community! One way that we do this is by recognizing when a potential customer is simply out of our service range.
If we meet with you and provide a proposal for your project, you can rest assured that we are local to your area and invested in your community – and therefore, invested in you!
Our office manager Jesse can take your call (or text) at (336) 971-0464 to discuss your project today.
