Installation of driveway is a huge investment you will be making. The project is in large scale and has to be handled by experienced and expert contractors. Concrete is tricky to work with even on a much smaller scale, as when one is pouring a concrete patio.
Even when you are hiring a good driveway contractor in Queens, it is important for you to make sure that everything goes on smoothly. In a way, properly going about hiring a driveway contractor is as much work as installing a driveway.
Here are certain guidelines that will help you to hire a good driveway contractor for your work in Queens:
- First thing to take note of is to draw up a list of questions and approach the references provided by the driveway contractors. It will be imperative to include relevant questions like - what is the experience of the Contractor, does its workers have a good working ethics, whether the company is trustworthy, what will be the total cost of the project and how closely will the driveway contractor follow the contract.
- Next thing is try to call the contractor and obtain the permission to visit the site in question and if granted, inquire as to the date when the driveway was installed. Look for the signs of any concerns and ask the homeowners if they were aware of any issues. Keep noting the things for you will want to visit the sites of references provided by other driveway contractors as well for making comparisons.
- Based on the comparisons, it is imperative to make selection of the top contracting companies and ask them further questions to get a feel for their level of professionalism. Installing driveways properly often stands or falls based on whether the driveway contractor provides adequate drainage through site grading etc. It is always good to ask such questions before making the final decision.
- Next thing one should check is the written proof that the company has liability insurance. Even if the company is having insurance you should be careful and ask the right questions before hiring for the work for if something goes wrong you will be the one facing huge penalties and damages.
- Finally, follow your instincts. If you feel that the driveway contractor are inattentive or harsh during interviews when you expect them to be in their best behavior, imagine how tough they would be to deal with once they have your contract and money. It is advisable to hire someone who is sensitive to your needs, someone who will be easy to communicate with the on-the –job site in case any unforeseen issues arise.
- Now based on the results of the interviews, narrow the list down further to those companies who left you confident about their abilities to handle the job. Make bids for the job based with the contractors whom you have shortlisted.
- The final step before signing the dotted lines of the contract is to make sure that the contract covers important points like the responsibilities of the driveway contractor, thickness of pavement, overall cost and payment schedule, time period of job and a guarantee.