Most remodeling regret does not come from picking the wrong tile. It comes from picking the wrong contractor. The good news is that the warning signs, and the good signs, tend to show up before a single wall gets touched, if you know what to look for. Run any contractor you are considering through the checklist below, and hold us to the same standard.
Look for verifiable reviews
Anybody can call themselves the best. What you want is homeowners who already hired them saying it, on a platform where the reviews are real and you can read them yourself. Look for reviews that mention specifics, the kind that describe the actual experience rather than a vague thumbs up.
Here is the sort of thing that should give you confidence. These are real homeowner reviews of our work.
“Ten projects were completed as expected with excellent craftmanship. Everyone was polite, professional, and honest. Far surpassed my expectations... I will certainly hire them again.”
Kimberly B. · HomeAdvisor, Nov 2018“Very professional and competent... I did not have to constantly monitor the status of my projects... you wouldn't even know a repair had been made.”
LaDonna C. · HomeAdvisor, Dec 2018Notice what those homeowners are really saying. The work was done as expected, and they did not have to hover over it. That is what verifiable reviews are for.
Check licensing and permits
A licensed contractor who pulls permits is a contractor doing the work on the record and to code. It is one of the clearest lines between a professional and someone working out of a truck with no accountability. Ask whether they are licensed, and ask whether they pull permits when the job calls for it.
For our part, MLA Contracting is licensed and pulls city permits as the work requires. We hold an electrical license and have an active record of pulling permits with the City of Corpus Christi. On our jobs, you are not the one left holding the paperwork.
Insist on a written scope and price
A handshake and a rough number are how projects go sideways. Before any work starts, you should have a straight scope of work and a firm price in writing, so everyone agrees on what is being built and what it costs. If a contractor will not put it in writing before day one, that tells you something.
We do this on every job. You get the scope and the price in writing before anyone picks up a tool, and anything that has to be rebuilt gets walked through with you up front.
Watch how they show up
The best contractor on paper is worth nothing if you cannot get them to the house. Pay attention to the small things during the estimate. Did they show up when they said they would? Do they answer their phone? Those habits do not change once the job starts, so they are a preview of the whole project.
“Juan was great...if he said he was coming: he arrived & on time.”
Chester C. · HomeAdvisor, Mar 2022It sounds basic, and it is, which is exactly why it matters. Showing up on time and keeping you in the loop is half of a good remodel. The other half is cleaning up after the work and leaving the home better than the crew found it.
Look for one crew, start to finish
When one local crew handles the whole project, there is no gap where the job sits waiting on a subcontractor who never got booked, and there is no confusion about who is responsible for what. You always know who is in your home and who to call. It keeps the work consistent from demo to the final walkthrough.
One local crew, licensed and pulling permits, a written scope and price before day one, and a final walkthrough at the end. We are rated 4.8 out of 5 on HomeAdvisor across 44 reviews, and the reviews keep saying the same thing. We showed up, built what we quoted, and cleaned up before we left.
Hold everyone to the same list
Verifiable reviews, licensing and permits, a written scope, showing up on time, cleanup, and one crew start to finish. Run every contractor you are considering through that list, and the right choice usually sorts itself out. We are happy to be measured by it.
If you want to see how we stack up in person, the first step is a free in-person estimate. It takes about an hour, and by the end you will have a clear sense of who you would be working with.