Your manufactured home, like any other property, is bound to require occasional upkeep, repairs, renovations, and other services. While you might believe it's simple to find a reputable manufactured home repair near you to take care of that replacement or repair project, we continue to advise you to commit with caution.
Finding a good manufactured home contractor can be challenging for a number of reasons. In the worst-case scenario, your home repair may turn out to be a complete nightmare if you chose to work with an unethical, incompetent, or unprofessional contractor. Meeting irresponsible contractors is more common than you may think.
We would advise conducting a good deal of online research and doing your due diligence to generate some leads through word of mouth. While the Internet is a wealth of knowledge and may be very helpful in your quest for a dependable contractor, we strongly suggest that you stick to reliable, respected sites for research purposes. A good tip is to ask your neighbors, friends, and family for contractors they would recommend (or avoid!) before making a decision.
With that said, here are some other hacks for securing the right manufactured home repair professional for your home.
Rule of Thumb: 3 is the Minimum
Never choose one contractor and depend entirely on them. A rule of thumb to follow is that three is always the minimum. Obtain quotes for the relevant repair service you need for your manufactured home from at least three different contractors.
By doing so, you can compare the resources, expenses, and personalities of different contractors to choose which one makes you feel the most confident about moving forward with. Consider it like this: A job application in an organization will always have many candidates, who then goes through rounds of interviews before the company selected the one. This goes the same for your home! An organization won't just accept any person to fill a specific position, so should you.
Cross-Check References
Ask the contractors giving you estimates if they can give you a list of locals for whom they have already completed similar work. Then, don't be afraid to get in touch with these people to learn more about the contractor's performance. The majority of contractors are ready to offer references. If they don't, it might be a red flag.
Preferred Mode of Communication
It is highly advisable for you to be getting a sense of how particular contractors prefer to communicate if you're hiring them to conduct a big remodel or repair project on your manufactured home. On these bigger projects, communication is crucial, and there's nothing more frustrating than not being able to contact a contractor with inquiries or status updates.
Cheap Service May Mean Poor Service
While it's good to get a service for less money, don't just accept the contractor with the lowest quotation. There can be a justification for a contractor's low job bid. For instance, they might forego obtaining the necessary permits, passing the savings along to you.
Another factor that frequently permits them to undercut the competition is that they could not be licensed and insured or they can be working with inferior materials. Engaging a professional to work on your manufactured home repairs is more important than pursuing someone for their cheaper costs. Remember, bad work done by contractors today may mean that extra work has to be done in the future – double the expenses!