Jersey City, New Jersey is very small, so living space - and pretty much everything else - is at a premium. You'll pay more for your condo here than you would for real estate in downtown Toronto, so you naturally want to save as much money as possible on everything else. That means when the sink is leaking or you need a wall put up, you don't want to hire the first contractor in the phone book. You need to get multiple quotes.
When you start the quote-seeking process, you need to compile a list of all the businesses you plan on asking. Ask friends for the names of contractors who did a good job on their Jersey City home before they traded it for Arlington, Texas real estate. Check with the Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for recommendations. And keep an eye out for advertisements as you go about your day. Contractors at work will usually put out a sign with their number on it.
Make a list of all these businesses. Now you can start calling them. It helps to write out some talking points beforehand so you can make sure you get all the information you'll need to make your decision. The most important question to ask is: "do you charge for estimates? If so, how much?" You'll also want to know where they got their training (did they build Mississauga real estate at their daddy's knee or attend vocational school?) and whether they have the names and numbers of some former customers you can talk to.
If you're satisfied by what you learn about them over the phone, book them to come in and give you a quote on your project. Make sure you mention whether it's wiring a whole house or just installing a few vanity cabinets so they know which expert to send. Also, try not to book several contractors on the same day as they rarely show up at their appointed time and might end up arriving at the same time.
Once all the visits are complete the company should provide you with a sheet of paper on which they've worked out your estimate. It will include things like the amount of time they expect it to take, their hourly rate, and how much they expect the materials will cost. When making your choice, remember that the cheapest is not always the best. It's better for Mississauga homes to be slightly more expensive than not meet building code standards.
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