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Below is a partial transcript of a testimonial interview (for our contractor's remodeling services in Orlando) from a Florida Licensed Realtor and real estate investor in Orlando, Andrew Davis. Scroll down to read it.
If somebody was buying a house and remodeling it (to rent out, or to live in, or to re-sell), your short list of contractors would include David, is that correct?
Yeah, he’s at the top.
How did you hear about him?
He actually did a remodel for a friend of mine... in College Park, which is a cool neighborhood in Orlando.
[To read a transcript of that person’s audio testimonial, click here
the best remodeling contractors in Orlando. You can also hear the actual audio of Andrew's full testimonial by clicking the triangle in the top right of this screen. ]
What factors were important in choosing to hire David to do the work for you?
First, he came very highly recommended. Second, I checked his license. There were no complaints against his license.
Basically, the biggest thing was the testimony from someone who had worked him and spoke very, VERY highly of him.
Was there anything specific about what he told you that really caught your attention?
Basically, that [David] was ethical.
For whatever reason, the residential contracting and remodeling business tends to attract people that sometimes aren’t very ethical. So [my friend who had previously hired David] just said that he keeps his word. He’s ethical. He’s honest. He’s up front... and he does really really really good work!
He’s excellent. If something’s not done right, he goes out of his… he takes pains to correct it.
You mentioned that, in general, contractors who do remodeling or renovation have a bad reputation when it comes to being ethical or not. Are you just saying that as a realtor who has heard a few rumors in general about builders and the construction industry, or do you have more first-hand personal experience with problems from remodeling contractors that you personally know there in Orlando?
I had hired somebody that did a really bad job, made a mess of things with the city building officials and we were just at a standstill on a project. ...At the time I started the project, I didn’t know David (or else it would have probably been a different project!)
So he came in later, like as a pinch-hitter.
Basically, he came in and made sense of everything. He made nice with the city officials and in a matter of weeks has completely turned the project around (that was at a standstill).
After hiring David, what else did you notice about their work that was notable….?
Just that they take the time to do things right. He just noticed things that I didn’t even notice (and he just went ahead and fixed them without even asking him to do so). So that was the big thing.
So the high quality of the work has obvious value. What else?
Their professionalism. He and his wife work together. She handles the administration and books and things. They are both very professional.
What happened that you are calling "being professional?"
The way they handle expenses and invoices and things like that. Also, I just noticed that the people that he uses… I visited the property. He has a lot of subcontractors working out there. …They’re all very professional and very polite. Very clean jobsite. The neighbors are happy about that, not complaining about the mess or noise. Just really really professional.
Ok, thanks. I'm still curious though. You mentioned the invoices. So those were very clear and easy for you to see what was going on, is that right?
Yeah, that’s correct.
Very very good communication about what it’s going to cost. What’s included in the bid, allowances for things that aren’t [already included in the bid], so he’s given me a very good idea of what the costs are going to be [even as that changes based on my requests].
When you were talking about him noticing things … you haven’t noticed already, I was wondering if …
Like him being a partner?
Yeah.
Yeah, I think that’s a great descriptor. You very much get the sense that he really cares about your property and about the job beyond just what you specifically tell him... like he’s not going to go “ah, well we did not talk about that!”
You can tell that he really cares. Yeah, you feel like there’s a real ownership in the work.
So what were the actual remodels and renovations that were completed?
flooring
roof
paint
trim
electrical
plumbing
hvac
door install
carpetry
landscaping
screened in pool
sprinkler repair
If you were to rate him… how would you rate
him and the whole team (including him and his wife)?
Ten... on a scale of one to ten.
Will our remodeling contractors in Orlando provide you the best value on your home improvements?
Yes, we will! Plus, we will also help you to get the most value out of your remodeling budget.
Our licensed remodelers in Orlando will guide you through all the details that are relevant for you, such as insurance claims, financing options (including remodeling loans through the FHA's 203K program), plus planning, permits, and inspections. We will help you prevent problems that often cause unpleasant surprises to homeowners and real estate investors. You may even qualify to reduce your home insurance rates!
For emergency services (like flooding water, roof leak repairs, and storm damage restoration), use the form on the left now. For other remodeling services, schedule an estimate or consultation by using the form.
What do we mean by "giving our remodeling clients the insight they deserve?"
After a few decades of remodeling homes and
commercial
buildings, our experience has led to many insights that we did not understand at first. Even if someone had tried to explain certain issues, it still makes a big difference to repeatedly see the long-term results of high quality work compared to low quality work.
Partnering with remodeling experts vs. just hiring cheap laborers
When you pay many thousands of dollars for a remodeling service, wouldn't you value the full partnership of an experienced remodeler? Partnership means that we are not just working for you, but working with you. Are you aware that the simple reality is that some other contractors may be more interested in getting paid than in earning your highest recommendation?
The classic example: inaccurate estimates of remodeling costs and completion dates
For instance, most people value getting an accurate estimate (from the beginning) that includes the full amount of time and money that you will need to devote to your remodel. You may know that, in general, remodelers are famous for under-estimating the budget and duration of a remodel. There are two main reasons for that:
First, some may simply be attempting to deceive home owners with attractive numbers in order to get hired. (By the way, we know of many cases of intentional under-bidding. For people who are only interested in the cheapest remodeler in Orlando that they can find, we recommend that you either reconsider or look elsewhere.)
Second, a lot of sincere contractors just do not have enough real-world experience to be able to give an accurate estimate of the costs and duration of your remodeling project. They are making "educated guesses." That is not dishonest, but it is also not the accuracy that so many home owners value.
What do experienced remodelers know that new ones don't?
Keep in mind that this is just one simple example. The most common errors in the actual work performed by inexperienced remodelers is not the issue yet. So far, we are talking only about their typical inaccuracy in their estimates of costs and time.
So, to give a precise estimate of how long a custom project will take, that requires plenty of real-world experience with jobs just like yours, right? Inexperienced contractors can only speculate. The numbers they provide tend to be low... even as low as one half of a realistic number. In contrast, only experienced contractors can make reasonable projections based on past remodeling jobs like yours. They can speak from experience.
Contractors who are brand new to the remodeling field obviously cannot speak from experience.
Respect the costs of hiring the wrong remodeling contractor for you
As a quick example, we asked a recent remodeling client about her satisfaction with her remodel (which was the building of a new garage). In the full audio testimonial, you can listen to her delight about the quality of service provided to her. First, here is a short section about the wrong remodeling company. It is a sad story she told about her neighbor:
You have to be careful. They're constantly telling us... seniors [senior citizens] to be worried about scammers.
The gal next door [who had recently invested 80 thousand dollars for the remodeling of her home], she came over here and said "does he do renovations in the house" [inside] and I said "yeah, I'm talking to him about a kitchen renovation." She said "I wish I had known about him..." cause she got cheated.. Oh, she just took a beating!
If reading that send shivers through you, then you might not want to listen to the actual audio recording. That client was quite emotional about the grief of her neighbor (as well as her own gratitude for the remodelers she used). You can listen to the short section above by clicking here:
link. To hear the entire 3 minute testimonial, click here:
link.
other issues:
honest vs dishonest contractors
insured vs uninsured contractors- the risks and costs
experienced vs inexperienced contractors
We expect to earn every dollar that you will pay us (or that your home insurance company will pay us). We also expect to earn your highest recommendation.
When you hire a remodeling company, do you just want someone to provide some skilled labor or do you also want the value of our decades of experience?
