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<\/p>\nFinding a great deck contractor is a process.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After researching online reviews and asking your friends, family, and random people in line at Tim Hortons if they can recommend someone, you\u2019ve proudly compiled a list of candidates. You\u2019ve contacted them to schedule a quote and with estimate in hand, you\u2019re inches away from making a decision.<\/p>\n
But before you pull the trigger on hiring a deck builder, you better check their references.<\/p>\n
Contractors are asked for references almost daily. They usually have a list of go-to contacts, who are past clients they can count on to sing their praises. While these people will say all the right things, their experiences may not be an accurate representation of a typical job. So how do you get in touch with a typical customer and get a true picture of what it\u2019s like to work with a particular decking company?<\/p>\n
Here are three ways and 19 questions to expertly check your deck contractor\u2019s references:<\/p>\n
1 –\u00a0 Ask for their most recent references<\/strong><\/p>\n Rather than allowing the bidding contractor to cherry pick their references, take a cue from the HR industry and request contacts from their 2-3 most recent jobs. This will provide a much more accurate account of what you can expect in working with them.<\/p>\n If your contractor has trouble coming up with your requested references, it may be a red flag.<\/p>\n To get solid insights from the references you\u2019re given, ask them the following:<\/p>\n 2 – Get references for longevity and applicability<\/strong><\/p>\n While getting testimonials from current clients is helpful, it\u2019s also important to understand how the contractor\u2019s work holds up over time. In addition to asking for recent references, ask for 1-2 references that had their deck done two or more years ago.<\/p>\n If your contractor works with multiple decking materials, make sure they\u2019re providing references that had the same material and components that you\u2019re interested in using. A great reference on composite decking doesn\u2019t mean much if you\u2019re having vinyl decking<\/u> installed.<\/p>\n In addition to asking these references the questions listed above, get answers to the following:<\/p>\n 3 – Find non-customer references<\/strong><\/p>\n Wouldn’t it be great if you could be a fly on the wall in your contractor\u2019s office to see how they conduct their business? The next best thing to spying on their daily operations is asking a contractor\u2019s industry partners for the inside scoop.<\/p>\n Request the contact details of a supplier they work with regularly, such as a lumber yard or vinyl decking supplier. These insiders can give you valuable insights on if they pay bills on time, how they are to work with, and how happy their employees are.<\/p>\n Take advantage of these valuable contacts and get answers to these questions:<\/p>\n Whether you’re looking for a Vancouver deck builder<\/u>, or a reliable contractor anywhere in Canada, finding the right company can be tedious. Don\u2019t be tempted to skip this important step of asking for and checking references. Use these 3 pro tips to make sure that you get an accurate reflection of what to expect before you sign a contract with any deck builder.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Finding a great deck contractor is a process. After researching online reviews and asking your friends, family, and random people in line at Tim Hortons if they can recommend someone, you\u2019ve proudly compiled a list of candidates. You\u2019ve contacted them to schedule a quote and with estimate in hand, you\u2019re inches away from making a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":3416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[581,405,348],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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