Questions to Ask a Potential Hardwood Flooring Contractor in Tampa Bay
We’ve interviewed some of the top hardwood flooring contractors in Tampa Bay to find out the answers to the most popular questions regarding wood flooring. So before you spend your hard-earned money on getting beautiful hardwood floors, and possibly waste a lot of money on a unsatisfactory job, take a look at these answers straight from the experts.
Q – Is the contractor licensed and insured in Florida and will they provide written proof?
When you are hiring a flooring contractor it is important that the individual or company that you are hiring is licensed in the state of Florida. If you hire an unlicensed contractor you are taking a chance of not having any recourse in the event the job is not done correctly, if there is any damage, or if the contractor suddenly decides not to complete the job. For the express purpose of reliability and recourse, the flooring contractor should be licensed to do business in Florida.
Q – Is the contractor local to the Tampa Bay area and are they willing to provide references of other local customers they have served in the Tampa, Clearwater or St. Pete areas?
If the contractor is local and is willing to provide references, that is all well and good. However, one has to be careful that the references are not in any way related to the contractor and that they would be willing to show you the work that was done for them. In addition to references, it would also be a good idea to see if there are any complaints against the contractor with the Better Business Bureau. If it is a Union contractor, then check with their Union to see if there are any complaints there as well.
Q – Does the contractor uses their own staff or use subcontractors?
When hiring a contractor to install hardwood flooring in Tampa Bay, it is always best to get everything in writing. Have a binding contact made between you two so that you will know what exactly will be done, how it will be done, and who will do the job. If the contractor will do the job using his/her own staff, then this condition should be set out in the contract. If the contractor is going to use subcontractors, the contractor should set out who they are, what their qualifications are, and who is going to pay them. You do not want to find out that the people the contractor hired did a poor job because they were not qualified and further, that you will have to make payment to them. You should take the same precautions with the subcontractor that you would take with the contractor.
Q – What type of written guarantee and/or warranty does the contractor provide on the materials and installation?
If the contractor offers a guarantee or warranty for the job he intends to do for you, be sure that the guarantee or warranty is set out in writing. It does not matter whether the contractor issues you a guarantee or a warranty; both of them should set out what the guarantee or warranty is for, i.e. the job per se, the materials (all materials should be listed), and the time in which the job will be completed. It is best if such a guarantee or warranty is set forth in the written contract between the parties.
NOTE: Most important of all is that the Tampa Bay hardwood flooring contractor carries insurance not just for the job itself but liability insurance for the workers that will be working on your flooring. Any insurance the contractor has should also apply to subcontractors that he or she may be using on your job. You would not want to find yourself responsible for any injury sustained by a worker.