In many areas, contractors may be a dime a dozen. There are roofers, wood contractors, power washers, builders, painters, repairmen: any type of contractor for home repair and construction you can think of, and some you may not have known existed!

Many times, we turn to family and friends to recommend their preferred contractor to get a job done, like fixing a wooden deck or maintaining a cedar roof. Sometimes those referrals are the best option because we trust our family and friends. However, sometimes our circle of influence does not have a good referral, has never had to deal with that problem, or does not live in our area – especially if we recently moved. In those cases, how do you choose a reliable contractor to help fix your home?

Websites

Roof RepairsThankfully, the Internet has provided options that people did not have even twenty years ago. Unfortunately, it also provides a lot of bad information. As a consumer, it is our job to weed out the good from the bad. Websites that allow the contractors to advertise for themselves are often extremely biased and therefore not trustworthy. However, there are websites that promote contractors, such as Angie’s List, that only allow reviews to come from customers. Not only is it less biased than other types of contractor advertising sites, but Angie’s List also offers awards for trusted contractors.

Another website that is helpful when choosing the right contractor for your home is The Better Business Bureau.  Members have to pay to belong; however, customers can review and rate the business and those with the best business practices and good reviews will receive high ratings from the organization. Most contractors who are rated with an A+ rating are reliable and worth interviewing for your project.

Realtors and Neighbors

If you are new to an area and notice you need some repairs to the roof, fence, or deck – or even simple maintenance of your exterior or interior property – there may be other options besides asking friends and family. Speaking to your realtor about their preferred contractors is a great way to get an honest referral that you can trust. Realtors want repeat clients. They will not get repeat clients and client referrals if they refer contractors who are not trustworthy or reliable.

Neighbors are also a great source for recommendations. Neighbors have a vested interest in your property to help maintain their own property value.  Therefore, they will likely refer someone they have used who provided wonderful results. Contractors who do a great job for one home in a neighborhood will likely receive the business of the entire neighborhood.

If you are in need of a contractor to take care of your roof, fence, or deck maintenance or repair, or other services such as gutter cleaning or exterior power washing, contact the experts at Roof to Deck Restoration at (651) 699-3504. Besides having an extremely satisfied client base, they have won numerous awards for excellence in their field from Angie’s List and maintain an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. These awards and accolades show just how much pride they take in their work, which is equal to the pride and care they will take with your home.