Tips to Consider Before You Hire A General Contractor

1. Experience

One of the first things to look for when hiring a contractor is experience. How long have they been in business? How many jobs have they completed? Are the employees experienced, licensed and bonded professionals? Although a contracting company that has been in business for three months, could potentially perform as well as a company that’s been in business for ten years, experience speaks volumes. With so many contracting companies out there, the market is very competitive, and an unsatisfactory company will not survive for very long.

New Age Contractors has been in businesses for nine years and, in that time, has successfully completed thousands of jobs. NAC is licensed by the State of South Carolina Department of Labor and Regulation and has been a member of SC Contractor's Licensing Board since 2011.

2. Recommendations (Referrals)

When searching for a contracting company, another thing to look for is recommendations and reviews. Reviews are the best way to judge how the company performs because they are based on actual experiences from previous clients. If a company has no or minimal recommendations, that could mean that the business is not meeting their customer's needs.

New Age Contractors has plenty of 5-star reviews and testimonials from delighted clients, all of which can be found on the company’s website or Facebook page.

3. The Proposal (Statement of Work to be Performed)
How the proposal is prepared is something fundamental to consider when choosing a contractor. It is very common for contractors to provide one flat price for the proposed work to be performed. The problem with that approach is that oftentimes, multiple jobs or installations are required. When a contractor gives you a flat price and does not break down the tasks, you really don't know what you are paying for. Another thing to be mindful of is how the company makes you pay. Never go with a company that makes you pay in full up front. Instead, choose a company that requires only a portion of the total as a deposit.

New Age Contractors will always send you an itemized proposal of tasks, so you know what is proposed and exactly what will be done and how your money is going to be spent. We will work with you until you are fully satisfied with proposal. NAC will never ask for all the money upfront, but rather half in the beginning, and the remainder after the job is completed satisfactorily.

4. Previous Jobs

Does the company have examples of previous jobs on their website and readily available to show you? If not, run as far and fast as you can. Without examples of previous jobs, it is very difficult to assess the quality of that company’s work. When it comes to your home, you want to be sure the job will be done right!

New Age has plenty of examples of past jobs readily available in various sections of our website and Facebook page.

5. Communication

They say "communication is key" for a reason. When comparing contractors ask yourself: "Do I want to spend all my time calling, questioning, and being frustrated? OR do I want a contractor that will take my calls, promptly call me back and reply to my e-mails, and otherwise go the extra mile to answer all my questions?" Sometimes things come up, and you need to move an appointment, or you have a pressing question, and a contractor that doesn't respond can be very frustrating.

New Age Contractors has a receptionist answering phones 7AM-7PM Monday-Friday. When it is outside of the business hours for the receptionist, the answering service will pick up the call and send an email with your information to the New Age mailbox. Someone will call you back as soon as possible and schedule an appointment.