Does hiring contractors make you nervous? You’re not alone, and many people, especially women, are cautious about hiring the right people to complete work in their homes. The reasons for this are varied from being taken advantage of to feeling unsafe or exposing your home and your family to potentially dangerous scenarios or persons.
But what can you do if you need to hire a professional to undertake work for you without compromising your safety at home?
Check Their Digital Presence
Empower yourself by starting with an online search to find the people you need and then investigating their digital presence. You can check out their website and social media accounts, read Yelp reviews, or search for any complaints. This proactive approach enables you to form a clear picture of a company before choosing to hire or contact them, giving you the power to avoid engaging with individuals who might potentially make you feel unsafe or concerned in any way.
Make Contact
Making contact by email or via phone can give you a sense of reassurance about who you’re engaging with and what you can expect from them. If you rely on your intuition, that first contact can reassure you about whether this is a person you want in your home or not.
Reputable contractors will understand if you feel they’re a right fit and gauge their suitability prior to wasting time coming to you for a quote. It can work well for both parties as you’re not wasting their time and vice versa.
Talk to Multiple People
Most contractors expect they’re not the only ones out there who you will contact, and don’t be shy about admitting to this. It’s part and parcel of the nature of work like this. You should be getting multiple quotes from those you feel comfortable engaging further with. You might find that a female-only, women-approved pest control company is the right choice for your pest eradication needs, or you might prefer a family-owned plumbing company that makes you feel more comfortable and at ease, rather than feeling like they’re taking advantage of you, compared to a national chain company.
Know What to Ask
Of course, you want to find the right person for the job who can complete the work to a high standard and is willing to work with you. However, you must ensure that you feel comfortable having this person or people in your home for the duration of the work to be completed.
Ask about their experience in similar situations, how they handle themselves during the working day, what you can expect from them, how often they experience delays or issues, and what steps they take to ensure the quality of their work and to make residents feel safe or to protect the people they work for. The more they can or will answer you and understand what you need and where you’re coming from, the more informed you will be, making it easier for them to adapt to meet your needs, if possible, or for you to rule out unsuitable parties.
