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San Antonio, TX July 2010. San Antonio home remodeling contractor Jeff Stief, president of Dunn-Wright Remodeling, Inc., http://www.dunn-wright.net, says that remodeling in San Antonio is getting tougher by the day with many prospective customers asking more questions, paring quotes down and basically taking a "let's wait and see" attitude lately. Being a San Antonio home remodeling contractor for almost thirty years, Stief says he's seen it before in the mid to late eighties, then he founded Dunn-Wright Remodeling in 1989, and he says he knows how to handle it.
"Customer service is number one" Stief says. "And next has got to be educating the customer."
"Right now I've got more (potential) customers calling and asking, “how do I know you'll finish the job" or “how can you guarantee me this job will be completed.” Those aren't the questions you used to get a couple of years ago before this recession” Stief said.
"I try my best to educate people about what they do need to look for. I had one lady ask me outright 'with all these big companies going out of business, how do I know you'll be here to finish'. I guess when a large, well known company, like Casa Linda goes out, it really affects all contractors".
Being in the San Antonio home remodeling contractor business for himself and other companies before, Stief says it's all about education and communication. Homeowners need to ask their prospective contractor if they are licensed, bonded, and insured - as Dunn-Wright Remodeling is; also check their Better Business Bureau rating. http://www.dunn-wright.net.
"First thing I did was to respond to this inquiry that we're bondable. If you’re working in these smaller towns like Alamo Heights, Olmos Park or Schertz, or any towns around San Antonio, as a home remodeling contractor you have to be bondable. A lot of the smaller towns are requiring it now. And, if you are bondable, a performance bond, naming that customer, as opposed to a city or town, is not that hard or expensive to obtain."
"If you’re a San Antonio home remodeling contractor licensed in San Antonio, the city is now requiring proof of liability insurance, but again it's buyer beware if you don't do your homework" Stief said. "It can be just like the person that buys car insurance July 1st that says it's good till January 1st of next year, but if that person doesn't make that August payment or any payment ever again, are you insured if this person hit's you in November? No! Does that person have proof of insurance for the traffic cop? Yes! But it's not any good to you in an accident".
Stief said that's why he has his agent send a ryder, when requested with a signed contract, naming the homeowner(s) and their address so if anything goes wrong at that home it's covered, period. And it carries post completed operations, meaning that if the contractor is paid and gone and a month later or a year later, if an installation by the contractor fails and hurts someone (think ceiling fan falls and hits someone) it's still covered!
Stief said that while the local economy is still sound compared to other cities, there is defiantly less work being spread around among more San Antonio home remodeling contractor(s) than before. And, Stief says, that's where it pays off for a homeowner to do a little homework.
"Now you’ve got guys laid off from their job and suddenly they are a contractor in their mind" Stief says. "So, as a homeowner, you have to take a common sense approach. Everybody wants a good deal, but is it too good a deal compared to a reputable company? Would you really hire a guy off the streets and give him any money up front and all you have is a cell number?" Stief asks. "Many of the homeowners I get these questions from ask me this, I sometimes find later, because they already have been through a bad experience. And that definitely makes it harder on everyone in the business" he said.
"If your contractor ask you to pull the building permit or tells you he doesn’t need a permit for whatever reason, ask someone. Call the building inspection department in your city and see if it should be required for your scope of work. The answer will usually be yes. Any good, reputable, San Antonio home remodeling contractor should all ready be licensed. “Ask" Stief said.
Jeff Stief
Dunn-Wright Remodeling, Inc.
1315 Basse Road, San Antonio TX 78212
210-821-6000
Website: http://www.dunn-wright.net
dwr@dunn-wright.net
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