When you are looking to do a major home remodel in Mission Viejo, standard practice is to get several bids from general contractors in the area. In doing so, you’re likely to get a large range of prices. On large home remodeling projects, the difference between bids could be tens of thousands of dollars or more. Logic might tell you to go with the lowest bidder, but here’s why you should consider the other bids as well.
Consider Experience
A general contractor in Mission Viejo with many years of experience will probably not be the lowest bidder. This is likely to because of several reasons. First of all, an experienced contractor knows how to accurately bid a job. They not only know how much materials cost, but they also have a good idea how long something will take and what types of issues to anticipate and budget for.
A more inexperienced contractor may give you a great price but will possibly come to you, mid-project, with reasons why the job is actually going to cost you more. In most cases, the contractor simply made a mistake in their estimating, but there are also unethical contractors out there who will underbid jobs on purpose to get you to hire them, and then increase the price on you later—your classic bait-and-switch technique.
An experienced general contractor will also know how to handle unexpected issues. A minor setback won’t bring your project to a screeching halt, rather, the contractor will be able to draw from his or her experience, or reach out to someone in their extensive network, to solve the problem. If the project timeline is important to you, you’ll want to consider hiring an experienced general contractor who will likely not give you the lowest bid.
No Cutting Corners
A general contractor who has given you a low bid may be tempted to cut corners. As they get into the project, they may realize that they bid the job too low and will have to find ways to save money so they can still make a profit. They may use inferior materials or not finish things as thoroughly as they should. You may not notice right away the ways in which they cut corners, but the shortcuts will show up over time—usually after your final payment has cleared.
A general contractor who has priced the job correctly won’t have to cut corners because they will have factored in the correct amounts for the types of materials you have requested and will be able to spend the proper amount of time needed to do the job right.
Better Subcontractors
In addition to cutting corners on materials and his or her own workmanship, an inexpensive general contractor will also look for subcontractors who work on the cheap. Do you really want a budget electrician or plumber working on your home? What about a painter who is trying to do the job as quickly as possible? Probably not. But that’s likely what you’ll get when you hire the lowest bidder.
On the other hand, a quality general contractor will hire quality subcontractors and will make sure they do the job right.
Get Multiple Bids and Do Your Research
Getting multiple bids from various general contractors for your Mission Viejo home remodel is a great place to start, but don’t stop there. Do some research as well. Ask for referrals and research the contractors’ reputations online. Get to know them a bit to make sure they are easy to communicate with. Read carefully every contract you receive to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. (Budget contractors may not include everything that needs to be done to see your project through to completion.)
If you’d like to get a bid from Scott McKee Construction for your upcoming Mission Viejo home remodel, give us a call or contact us through our website.
