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Craftsmanship
Some companies pay a lot of attention to your home’s details. They are concerned about matching the details of the trim, the windows or the species of the wood. Every house is unique in some particular way, especially if you live in an older home. Do you want some thought given to the project and these details? Do you have some details that you would like to respect and copy in the new parts of your project? Craftsmanship and attention to detail are not developed overnight. They are developed over many years of working in homes like yours and gaining experience. Here is another instance where looking at past jobs helps you determine the capabilities of the prospective contractor. Attention to detail is also a personal trait. A carpenter may be perfectly capable of quality craftsmanship, but his personality will decide whether he has an eye for detail. The same can be said about companies. Will the contractor put in the extra time necessary to achieve the final look desired? Will they support this endeavor or will they cut corners to get the job done?
You can tell a lot about the quality of the carpenters and their attention to detail by observing how they work. If their tools are just thrown in the back of the bed of the truck, causing the carpenter to spend a lot of time digging around looking for a tool, if tools aren’t sharpened or cared for on a regular basis or if materials are left all over the job, your project will likely look and be organized in the same fashion. These skills are acquired early in life, and are not changed overnight. Skilled craftsmen have already made the dumb mistakes that all inexperienced tradesmen have made in the past. They have learned the good, better, and best way to complete a project. Don’t pay someone to learn on your project!
Ratings
Unacceptable: The crew is short on experience and has limited skills in limited areas. When asked for solutions to problems, the worker is short on experience and can’t even make a recommendation.
Good: The contractor has experienced employees. He matches their skill level with the tasks at hand. You are comfortable with the level of craftsmanship as evidenced by the daily progress and the finished product.
Better: In addition to the above, the contractor cares about the architectural details particular to your home and your project and has all of the resources to complete the task.
Best: In addition to the above, the contractor has been in business many years and has found many trades people with the special skills and talents to help him produce anything required in any project.
Check out the other 24 factors that every smart house-owner use when they consider their remodeling contractor here.
