The Ultimate Guide To Choosing The Right Concrete Contractor For Your Home
Do you live in Northern Colorado, and are interested in doing concrete work at your house, but are having a hard time selecting which contractor best suits your project? You may be thinking things like:
- How do I compare different concrete companies?
- What factors come into play with concrete work?
- What things should I be asking each concrete contractor to make sure I get what I want?
These are all valid questions, and we know that many of our customers at Cesar’s Concrete have the same questions. We did our best to make this article unbiased and geared towards truly helping people make the best decision for their homes. Concrete is something you want to do only once so it is important to get this decision right the first time.
What Criteria Should You Be Considering Before Calling A Contractor Do A Quote?
1) Timeline – Do you need your job done by a certain date? Do you want your job done sooner so you can use it faster, or do you not mind waiting for your ideal contractor?
2) Budget – When designing an outdoor living space, or even a simple project like a driveway replacement, it may be a good idea to think about a budget for your project prior to calling a contractor. Just like anything else, concrete work has a wide range of material quality, amount of prep work, specs, and design options. It may be easier to design your dream concrete project if you have an idea in mind for the budget. Before you waste your own time calling multiple contractors and getting multiple sales pitches, you can save yourself time if you know what you are willing to spend to get a project done and seeing if a contractor thinks they can design your project within your budget.
3) Design – Start to think about what you want for a design. Concrete can only be done once so it is good to spend some time envisioning exactly what you want so you can relay that information to your concrete company.
How To Evaluate Concrete Contractors Before You Call
Prior to making any phone calls, here are some tips on what information to look for with each concrete contractor:
1) Reviews – In today’s digital world, there is almost nothing that can be hidden. Google each company you plan on using and look at reviews from multiple websites like Google, Facebook, Yelp, and Home Advisor to name a few. The reviews don’t have to be perfect but start to note which contractors seem to take good care of their customers and the others that don’t.
2) Website Gallery – Look at the quality of the work that the contractor displays are up to your standards
3) Verify insurance – The quickest way for a project to go from simple to a nightmare is easier than you think when it comes to concrete work. Imagine doing a driveway, and the main water line bursts. If your concrete contractor doesn’t have insurance, you may be the one flipping the bill for this repair. Make sure you are protected.
How To Choose A Concrete Contractor Once You have Received An Estimate
People often find it hard to compare companies that they spoke with. Here is a list of things to consider:
1) Customer Service – When speaking with your concrete contractor, how easy was it to get them to respond to you? Did they call you back fast? Did they have a defined estimating process? How was their attitude when you spoke to them? Did it sound like they cared about you and your project? Every concrete company is going to have different protocols.
2) Communication – Did the company listen to your needs? If you need to check in with them regarding scheduling, concerns, or questions, are they available to talk to you?
3) Workmanship/ Experience – Ask hard questions of your concrete contractor. Some (and debatably most) want to dedicate a few of your recourses to your project as possible so they can get paid and move on. Ask how many guys they take to get a job done. Do they bring enough to make sure things go well? Ask about their employee experience. Ask what they consider a job well done. Does it match up with what you envisioned?
4) Concrete specs – Just like a Honda is going to be built differently than a Ferrari, all concrete work is not built the same either. Make sure not only the concrete specs are comparable between quotes, but also make sure the prep work is to the same standard as well. The prep work in Colorado is almost more important. If the ground isn’t prepped properly, be prepared for some big issues down the road.
5) Pricing – You want to find a contractor who aligns with what you want for pricing. Do you want a quick and cheap job that you may not plan to use for as long? Do you want to pay a little more for a higher-quality job? A contractor that is too cheap will often cut corners and may not make enough money as a company to fix your job if something goes wrong. A contractor that is too expensive could be a waste of money if they don’t deliver a superior product/ experience.
6) Trust – This is probably the biggest factor. When combing all of the factors listed above, who do you trust will do the best job, for the best value, and meet your minimum requirements?
NEXT: Who Are The Best Concrete Contractors In Northern Colorado?
