General question about vetting contractors

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General question about vetting contractors for exterior repair work. Every company says licensed and insured, everyone has good reviews, and this is work where most of what I’m paying for gets covered up by siding and paint. I’ve been burned once already on a repair that looked fine and failed within two years. What questions actually separate a real outfit from someone who does a tidy cover-up job? The failed repair cost us about four thousand dollars and we had no recourse because nothing was in writing beyond a one line invoice, which taught me an expensive lesson.

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Ask what they do about the moisture source, and listen to whether the answer is specific. Anyone who talks only about replacing wood is selling you a repeat visit. Ask for photos during the work, especially of what’s behind the siding once it’s open, because that’s your only chance to see it. Ask about the workmanship warranty length and what it actually covers. We ended up with http://www.igotrot.com/ partly because they document with before and after photos and carry a 24-month workmanship warranty. Also confirm the estimate is free and non-binding, most reputable outfits here do free inspections. Ask for a written scope rather than a one line total as well, it’s the document that protects you if something fails later.

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