A restoration project is a process by which a damaged or outdated structure is returned back to its original good or improved condition in order to bring back its old glory and to lengthen its use or service. Restoration is usually cheaper than building a totally new structure or is used to maintain the sentimental or historical value and design of a structure. Restoration is also tantamount to repair when a portion of a structure is damaged or destroyed by wear and tear, calamity, old age or other acts that may destroy or injure a structure. Here are tips in hiring the right restoration contractors for your building or home.
Get a restoration contractor as against a general contractor. Restoration contractors are different from general contractors. The latter mainly focus on constructing or remodeling a new building. They do not have the understanding, dexterities, and tools to tackle your requirements especially when it involves restoring an operating business. Restoration contractors, on the other hand, understand the needs of a running business, especially when performing the emergency restoration. They handle an impaired structure in a different manner compared to a new construction development. It considers the objective of salvaging as much of the reusable components of a structure in order to alleviate loss and save money. Unlike a new construction in which a contractor is inclined to use new materials for everything, restoration contractors will try to limit the use of new materials but make an effort in refurbishing old components by repairing, refurbishing or fixing them.
Restoration contractors specialize in mending structures due to disaster. Thus, they are experts in handling emergency situations, unlike general contractors who are often provided the luxury of time in constructing. Emergency restoration contractors know what to deal with first in order to minimize loss. They know what works to prioritize or which portions of the structure needed immediate attention. This will help you save time and money.
Since restoration contractors often deal with damages caused by disaster or fortuitous events, they are also knowledgeable in processing claims with insurance companies. They can help home and business owners simplify the complex and meticulous procedures of claiming coverage protection so that they won’t shoulder the whole expense for restoration. Most restoration contractors utilize similar estimating systems that insurance damage evaluator use which helps facilitate claims faster and allow you to get back on your feet quicker.
Get the same contractor for restoration and reconstruction. Most restoration contractors have diversified their services in order to accommodate related reconstruction works in their restoration services. For instance, some water damage restoration contractors have a specialized team or department that can undertake reinstallation of drywall or repainting jobs.
Not all restoration contractors, however, are a jack of all trades able to fix everything. In which case, they either subcontractor make a referral to their partners who have the expertise to do that particular work. This is advantageous because the restoration contractor is able to coordinate the damage better and clearly pinpoint what reconstruction is necessary. They can recommend the proven contractors in the industry whom you can trust and depend upon in doing a specific reconstruction with whom they can also work well with.
Restoration contractors know the full extent of a restoration project. Coordination is important so that liability for any erroneous work can be easily established. Having different contractors can result in coordination problems. Having someone they know allows for better synchronization of work. Moreover, since they know contractor, he can be immediately contacted and be made available to respond as needed.
Getting the same contractor for restoration and reconstruction also saves you time for looking for another contractor for reconstruction. You don’t need to talk to different contractors, coordinate separate works or prepare separate budgets. Most of the time, the outsourced reconstruction is included in the contract price and it’s up for the main restoration contractor to discuss how much they are paid for the whole project. In which case, you can also get potential discounts for getting a full service. Since contractors know the real costs for doing things, they will be able to negotiate prices more effectively.
Get licensed restoration contractors. While there are many restoration contractors available in the market, not all of them have licenses. A license restoration contractor is relatively more expensive. However, you can be assured that they have the skills and knowledge in handling certain aspects of restoration that is especially dangerous or hazardous such as electricity and the use of chemicals. They are also fully aware of safety procedures and thus heed occupational safety measures strictly. In line with this, licensed restoration contractors are almost always covered by insurance. This is important because in case something happens to them in the line of work, they will be covered by insurance. Unlicensed and uninsured contractors on the other hand puts at a stake of shouldering medical bills in case some accident happened to them while working in your property.
Licensed restoration contractors also provide surety bonds to ensure that that they finish their work. If the contractor for some reason withdraws and leaves the work pending or performs a sub-standard job, you can file a claim against the surety company and be reimbursed your expenses and compensated for damages. Moreover, license restoration contractors usually provide warranty for their works for a specific period of time. If something went wrong or if you find something deficient, you can demand for their return to repair or fix the problem free of charge. On other hand, hiring unlicensed contractors poses big risks. Some of them will suddenly abandon work or walk away if they unexpectedly realize that they are incapable of performing the job. Most of them are also fly by night companies that suddenly become unavailable and difficult to contact after the work is done in order to evade low quality work. This could double your cost as you might be forced to find a professional contractor to fix and repair the slapdash job done by your unlicensed restoration contractor.