Home remodeling and renovation is a pretty costly affair, especially when it comes to the basement. Along with converting the area into a utility space, all measures have to be undertaken to keep it free of moisture, water leaks, and other similar problems.
It has to be noted that waiting too long to fix any water or moisture problems in your basement can instantly affect the walls’ condition and lead to the formation of mold. In short, lowering down the resale value of your property. That is why it is recommended to hire professional basement waterproofing services to restrain these blunders from developing in the first place.
However, not every contractor is competent and reliable enough to carry out the job in the best way. That is why some sensibility and awareness is desired on the part of homeowners to avoid committing major mistakes as listed below –
Mistake 1: Considering the factor of price alone
There is never anything wrong with looking for cost-effective options. But choosing a contractor based on price only is an immature step. You usually get bad quality of services and a lack of professionalism when deciding on the contractor charging low prices.
So, never fall for low bids. Contact multiple contractors and take details of the services that each one offers. Draw out a quick comparison among them to see which contractor is more competent.
Mistake 2: Failing to check with their past clients
Every contractor claims to be the best in the market. But to draw a real picture, it is recommended to speak to their past clients. Knowing the customers’ awareness, a lot of contractors have started giving out references to their new clients without even asking. You can contact these people and check how satisfied they were with the prospective contractor.
Always ensure that you never overlook this aspect and take the first-hand experience about the basement waterproofing contractor from the former customers straightway.
Mistake 3: Discussing things verbally
A verbal contract is not a contract in a real sense. You cannot have a formal record of who said what and when leading to a lot of ambiguities in the future. The importance of a written agreement comes in, where you get everything aspect of the project in writing – from initial proposal to final terms and conditions.
Also, making sure the contract is duly signed and agreed upon by you and the contractor before the actual work begins is mandatory otherwise, you cannot hold the contractor liable for any failures in his commitment.
Mistake 4: Not verifying the license and credentials
The majority of homeowners often end up hiring non-professional amateurs for their basement renovations and waterproofing because of the lack of verification of such contractors in the initial stage. Without checking whether the contractor is even licensed to operate in the community, they take decisions impulsively.
Licenses and certifications are important as they indicate the quality of the services being offered by the contractor and the level of skills the rest of the team has.
