| Business Categories | Additions and Remodels, Bathroom Remodeling, Carpentry, Kitchen Remodeling in Coopersburg, PA |
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Mark Richards was hired to remodel a bathroom at my parents' house. Upon completion of his work, it was found that the shower was not level, causing water to accumulate on the backside of the shower after each use. Mark admitted that he had not properly installed the shower, even going so far as to bring in a plumber who verified that the shower was not installed correctly. He claimed that he would get back to my parents about rectifying his mistake. After not hearing from Mark for an egregiously long period of time, my mother followed up with him about correcting the shower. Mark claimed he would get back to her, but never did. My mother attempted to follow up a few weeks later, but he has stopped answering the phone. It has been over a week and he has not returned her call. Mark was paid almost $13,000 for the job and now refuses to make good on his end of the bargain. Mark is a wildly incompetent contractor and his "professional" demeanor is a disgrace. How this man got his license and continues to maintain his license is beyond my comprehension. Avoid his "services" at all cost.
This is important mostly for larger jobs. Clearly a two man operation is going to build a home much slower than a 15 man crew. This is also a good indication of the overall size of the Additions and Remodels company, if that's an area of concern for you. The reason you may want to ask about the fleet is that fleet size is a good indicator of the mobility of the company. Mobility may not sound important, but it's hard for the Coopersburg contractors to get to job sites if they lack appropriate vehicles.
The question is great for some industries and non-applicable for others. A general contractor, for example, will by definition employ subcontractors. Most Coopersburg Additions and Remodels companies do not, but there are exceptions. You should always ask this question to your service providers. If they do use subcontractors, ask if they're all licensed and insured independently.
You'll certainly want to ask them this. Steer clear of any company that is not insured in Pennsylvania, because that means that any incidental damage they may do on your property will be a real hassle to recover compensation for. It is never wise to work with uninsured tradesmen of any kind. Most states also require that someone have insurance in order to be issued a trade license. If they say they're licensed but not insured, they're being less than truthful.
You'll always want to ask how long the company has been in business in Coopersburg. While this isn't a guarantee that the company will do good work, companies with longevity on their side must be doing something right. That being said, there are newer companies that do great work. If the company is under three years old, ask where the owner was employed before and for how long. If he/she has a long history of employment, it's reasonable to infer that he or she decided to go into business for themselves after so many years of experience.
