Building or remodelling a basement can be quite expensive, which is why homeowners (and commercial property owners) are very stringent with regards to choosing a contractor for their basement. Add to the fact that poorly made basements can affect the overall safety of the structure, and can be vulnerable to flooding, and the need to have a reliable contractor becomes more apparent. But with the multitude of available contractors, consumers have resorted to reading expert advice and online guides to help them screen through and pick the best contractor.
So, as a contractor, you need to be aware of what your potential clients are looking for to boost your chances of being chosen by homeowners to do their basement.
#1 The Basics: Licenses and Other Legal Requirements
Clients will want to make sure that they’re working with a legitimate company for their basement project. So make sure that you have all your legal paperwork including licenses and other permits that are required for your company to legally operate.
#2 Insurance
Accidents can occur during the basement’s construction, and homeowners do not want to be held liable for any injuries (or fatalities) that may occur in their property. As such, you need to have all the necessary insurance coverage for your staff (and even your subcontractors, if any) so that clients would be more comfortable in hiring you to do their basement.
#3 Transparency in Subcontracting
Subcontracting isn’t bad; in fact, it’s essential to have subcontractors that specialise in specific areas of the project to provide better quality output. However, it’s essential to let customers know which parts of the project will be carried out by the contractor, and which ones will be done by a subcontractor. Customers want to be aware of the people who will be working on their home, and being transparent about the ‘division of labour’, so to speak, would provide them peace of mind.
#4 Specialization: Basement Construction, Waterproofing, Drainage
When clients look for contractors to do their basements, they’re more likely to include those that specialise or have extensive experience on basement construction. As such, you need to advertise (i.e. put on your website, social media page, and print ads) that your company specialises in basement construction. And since basements are prone to flooding, clients would also prefer to contractors who are more equipped and skilled in waterproofing. It would also help to publicise that you’re up to date with waterproofing technique and technology and utilise high-quality materials for waterproofing and drainage such as Atlantis & geotextile products.
#5 Reviews and Feedback
Last, and arguably one of the most important factor, is the reviews regarding your brand. Clients are more likely to screen out contractors that have very low reviews or have no reviews at all. As such, your website (and even social media accounts) needs to feature feedback and testimonials from satisfied clients.
The Takeaway
Smart and practical homeowners are stringent when it comes to picking the right contractor to do their basement, and are even more than willing to pay more if the contractor checks all the requirements in their list. So make sure to review your business, particularly your website and marketing materials to improve your company’s visibility and competitiveness.
