Building a retaining wall on your property delivers several benefits, such as preventing erosion of soil and maximizing the space set aside for a garden or outdoor kitchen. Retaining walls represent highly functional additions to most residential properties, as well as provide an eco-friendly way to increase the value of a home. If you understand the advantages provided by adding a retaining wall, now is the time to contact one of the best retaining wall contractors.
What do you look for in well-qualified retaining wall contractors? Is it all about responsive communication or the quality of a project? Do references matter when it comes to vetting contractor prospects or does the content written into the construction contract take precedence over every other hiring factor? What about professional credentials, such as licenses and certifications.?
When it comes to searching for the most qualified retaining wall contractor, each of the five factors just listed matters for you to make the most informed decision about the future of your property’s landscape.
Professional Credentials
You can receive the most affordable bid and like everything written into a construction contract and still walk away from a potential contractor because of the lack of proper licensing. Before you consider every other factor when interviewing retaining wall contractors, each one on your shortlist must have the proper credentials to operate in your community. After you verify meeting proper licensing requirements, take professional credentials to the next level by asking about certifications.
Client Feedback
Reading client testimonials on a contractor’s website provides you with some insight into skill level, but you also should read the unsolicited feedback found on review sites like Yelp and Google. You should learn about the quality of the work completed by a contractor, as well as the professionalism that defines the work of each trade specialist. Look at client reviews as a form of word-of-mouth advertising coming from people you most likely do not know.
Quality of Work
The completion of a retaining wall project should achieve every goal you established before the project began. Your new retaining wall should enhance the visual appeal of your property, as well as contain the highest-grade materials that do not succumb to the long-term damage done by exposure to moisture. If you experience foundation problems, building a high-quality retaining wall can fix the problems.
If it comes down to choosing a contractor that produces the highest quality of work or a contractor that offers the most affordable price, quality should win over price every time.
What is in the Contract?
The construction contract represents the formal legal document that defines every parameter of the project. It should include a timeline for completing phases of the project, as well as a detailed description of what the contractor plans to do when building a retaining wall. The contract should explain whether the project is part of a home remodel or a standalone project that does not involve any other activity. Terms of the contract include price, as well as how the contractor expects to get paid.
Responsive Communicator
One of the most frequent factors that derail residential construction projects concerns poor communication. Before the first brick is set, you and the contractor should agree to establish how to communicate with each other. You can ask for daily or weekly status reports, depending on how often you want to be informed about the status of your retaining wall project. The key to developing responsive communication is for both parties to return emails, phone calls, and text messages as quickly as possible.
Mares & Dow
Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.