How to find good general contractors

Question

Hi everyone,

I am a new member trying to remodel/rehab a house. What is the best way to find good general contractors (reasonably priced, delivers on time, committed to quality) ?

What are red flags ?

Peter Mckernan · Answer

Yes all of this above for sure.. Added to the items I put which is more detailed and arcuate!

Matthew Kwan · Answer

Always ask for referrals or try joining a well known group within the Seattle Community called

WAREI (Washington Real Estate Investor)

@Carlos Valencia @Albert Bui

Drew Sygit · Answer

@Roger Garner all of the above give you great ways to find GCs, but HOW will you screen the bad from the good?

1) Check with state building dept to see if they have a valid builder's license and if any negative issues with it. - PRO TIP: many builders lose their license then create new company in name of wife or other relative/friend.

2) Check Better Business Bureau, but don't assume all the complaints are legit. - If there area MANY, then that is a problem. If there are only 2-3, then investigate and question GC.

3) Check with your state's Attorney General's office for any complaints.

4) Contact several City Building Depts in the area and ask for list of permits they've pulled. Check on these jobs somehow.

5) Google builder and company names with "feeback" or "review" to see what you may find.

It's not really easy to do all this. Given this is the 21st century with internet & AI, you'd think the state governments would create an easier way to track all this!

Peter Mckernan · Answer

I would talk to people at local real estate meetups, call realtors that do a lot of business, and local property management companies are a good place to get these people from too.

Red flags:

1. Not knowing who the person is and hiring them without seeing an active job or a job they have ever done

2. Not getting anything in writing (estimate, quote etc.)

3. Not performing the first couple of weeks.. Everyone can do demo work that is easy, but getting subs into the house is the hard part for contracts

4. Attention to detail is a big one for me, make sure when they wrap up jobs they do the right work and finish the job clean without having a ton of stuff missing

Alan F. · Answer

I would ask any friends and family who are in the trades for referrals.

Ask local materials distributors which contractors pay their billing on time, and who order materials consistently.

Go to some local REI meetups and ask for referrals.

Look at local jobsite and take note of truck signage.

Of course verify their licensing, here's a link

https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/hiring-a-co...

Roger Garner · Answer

Thank you everyone !

Mija Aguilera · Answer

@Roger Garner Start by asking for referrals from local real estate groups. Check online reviews and interview multiple contractors to compare bids. Always ask for references and examples of similar projects (pictures)

The Red Flags you have to Avoid:

• Lowball bids (too good to be true often is).
• Poor communication or delays in responding.
• Hesitation to provide references or sign a detailed contract.
• Cash-only deals or pushy behavior to secure the job.

Alfath Ahmed · Answer

I usually have found most of my contractors at lowes or home depot in the early mornings. Otherwise, another good way is to get referrals or join fb groups on RE investing pages where a lot of them will be on.

Michael Irwin · Answer

I would join local FB groups and just post in them. Get on the phone with the GCs that comment and have a good list of vetting questions/see pictures of their past projects. I did this about a month ago and found about 15 contacts that all do great work in my area.

How to find good general contractors

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