Uxbridge Home Additions and Renovations and How Red Flags Can Help

If you’ve spent time researching how to find the best Uxbridge home additions and renovations specialists, you may have noticed a trend in how the articles are presented. “Top 5 Things to Look for in a Contractor”, “10 Ways to Know You’ve Found the Right Home Builder” and many others that list and present positive attributes of companies that offer home additions and renovations services.

But what about red flags?

The term ‘red flag’ is an idiom commonly used to describe actions or words that suggest a potential problem. Red flags in a contractor or builder could indicate that company may not be the best one for you to invest your money, or your trust in.

So, if you are looking for an Uxbridge home additions and renovations company, take a different approach during the vetting process. Many companies are practiced at putting their best foot forward to promote their business, but if you’re on the look out for red flags, it can definitely help you see past the razzle-dazzle of a well-rehearsed sales pitch.

Red Flag - Not Actually Local: Servicing an area and being local to an area are two very different things. Choosing a builder that only services an area and is not actually local to it could be an indicator of delays and hiccups to your overall timeline.

Red Flag - Poor Communication Skills: If you find during the initial contact phase you are receiving inadequate communication such as having to play phone tag or repeated time and date changes for meetings you should be concerned. Poor communication skills will result in misunderstandings, delays, and a lack of clarity throughout the life of your home addition or renovation project.

Red Flag – Inconsistent Work History: A company being fairly new is, not in itself an automatic red flag just as a company that claims to have been in business for decades is not an automatic green flag. These red flags are applicable regardless of how long (or short) of a time the company has been around. Frequent changes in the builders’ operating name or work history can be a red flag, indicating potential issues such as past legal problems. The inability to provide references or a portfolio of past projects can be a sign that the builder may not be as experienced or as credible as they are trying to appear.

Red Flag – Too Good to be True Pricing: Low bids without quality assurance, or significantly underbidding the competition can be a sign of many things that you absolutely do not want to deal with during your home renovations; subpar materials, lack of quality control, and corners being cut. This red flag will always cost you more in the end.

Red Flag – Missing or Vague Paperwork: If your contractor can’t provide a clear and detailed estimate this is a sign that you may be dealing with financial disputes during your project. Likewise, a lack of a written contract with project details, timelines and clearly defined payment terms can also lead to disputes. A reputable Uxbridge home additions and renovations company should be happy to provide verifiable documentation to show the work they do is guaranteed. This could include proof of being a registered home builder with Tarion Warranty Corporation. Further, builders and contractors that can’t provide important documentation such as licenses or insurance may result in legal and financial complications during your project.