How you would feel if after receiving two or three bids, you chose the lowest bidder. He assures you that he can be trusted and that he has done concrete work his whole life and people love his work. The contractor further explains that all he needs to get you on the schedule is 50% down (which just pays for your material) and you’ll be all set. The start date arrives on the calendar and, as promised, so does your contractor. He shows up with a pick-up truck and his one employee and they get started. With sledge hammers they get started diligently swinging, smashing, and breaking the concrete until it is all broken and ready to be hauled away. At the end of the day the boss informs you that tomorrow they will be hauling away the days rubble to get started forming and moving forward with the rest of the project. The next morning bright and early your contractor greets you and informs you that to move forward all he needs is a check for $700.00 not in the original bid to pay someone to remove the broken concrete. Naturally you explain to him that you thought the price was all inclusive and refuse to pay the additional cost. Your contractor abruptly returns to his truck and refuses to return to finish until you agree to the new fees.
This story although extreme is not that uncommon. When a contractor is a true professional they should be able to provide detailed written estimates, proof of insurance, copy of his registration with the state, and references. When hiring a contractor make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Ask logical questions. If someone has done a trade their whole life shouldn’t they have all the equipment needed to do the work? If they are a respectable company, why the down payment? Unless you have some special order item, their is really no need to pay for it up front. And why is their price so much lower? It only stands to reason that if one contractors bid is much lower, he is probably not giving you everything another contractor is. Concrete repair and driveway replacement are not easy tasks so hire someone that uses certified finishers and quality materials. If you live in Urbandale, Clive, Windsor Heights or the surrounding area call Terry’s Quality Concrete today at 515-255-4775 or Contact Us to schedule a free consultation.
