It’s every homeowner’s nightmare: you hire a team of so-called professionals and allow them extended access to your home, only to find that you’ve taken on more than you’ve bargained for. From falsified credentials to shoddy workmanship and outright thievery, there are many things you unfortunately have to watch out for when hiring a Virginia home improvement firm. Follow our guidelines to help safeguard your investments against would-be scammers and ensure a positive home remodeling experience.
Your greatest allies against potential home improvement scammers are the organizations themselves. When looking to hire a specific firm, check out their website or portfolio for a list of accreditations. Any business worth your time should have at least a handful of certifications and maybe even a couple awards. Documentations in techniques such as environmental sustainability show that the firm is committed to educating their employees and staying advanced in their field. Even if the certification doesn’t apply specifically to your desired remodeling project, it can still be reassuring. Unfortunately, it is easy to copy and paste credentials onto a web page with almost no repercussions. That’s why, as a consumer, it is essential to call the individual organizations and verify such claims for yourself.
Many homeowners rely on aggregate review sites like Yelp to inform their decision. While other consumers’ experiences can be valuable, it is important to remember that such websites are not immune to scammers themselves. For example, some businesses pay strangers to post fake positive reviews in order to bolster their reputation. Conversely, rival companies might seek to harm their competition by posting negative reviews that are equally untrue. Bottom line: take everything you read with a grain of salt. Awards and verified testimonials speak louder than reviews.
Why risk getting scammed by another Virginia home improvement firm when you could go with the most trusted company in the state? At Criner Remodeling, we back up our claims with industry recognition and almost four decades in the community. Give us a call today at (757) 868-6200, and be assured that your project is in safe hands.