While you may want to keep all of your maintenance work in-house, that is not always possible. How do you choose the right contractor when the bids are similar?
It's hard to compare contractors without knowing exactly what each one will do for you. For instance, one contractor has a lower bid than another but you find out later that the higher priced one does more of the work that you need. Let's say that the first contractor does electrical work for a certain lower price. However, the second contractor is a little higher but provides follow up service calls at no charge. Or one landscaper does lawn work but doesn't trim trees and you need the trees trimmed as well. It makes no sense to hire the lower priced contractor if you have to hire someone else to finish the job.
Small print disclaimers are sometimes a clue that there is something you need to be aware of. While it takes time to read through an entire contract, once you sign it, you are responsible for whatever is in it so read through every line to be sure it won't come back to bit you in the rear at a later date.
Find out if your contractor's bid is for a one-time visit or if it includes follow up visits. Like stated in the first tip on checking the specifics, it is imperative to find out what the bid includes and specifically, follow up visits or return visits. A one time trip may be a lower price but if you have to pay for return maintenance than in can cost you quite a bit more in the long run.
Many times references are provided but never checked. We all get busy and figure we're happy with the contractor we've chosen. However, check online and customer references. You cannot always go by all online reviews since some are not genuine, but if all of the reviews are negative, you might want to think twice.
Read More: Stay Organized When Hiring Contractors
These are just a few of the things you should consider while choosing a contractor. A CMMS program will help keep you organized making the entire process a little less painful.