Northwest Construction Custom Porches
Add some more space to your living with a custom porch
Northwest Construction specializes in custom wood and masonry porches. Take a look at some of our work in the gallery below, then fill out the contact form (below the gallery) and we’ll be happy to come visit you, asses your needs and desires, then design and build a beautiful porch for you!
We cannot display this galleryCustom Porches – Where to start?
Five Questions to ask your Porch Contractor
Porches serve a couple of purposes. It’s a place where the family can congregate and socialize. It also enhances the curb appeal of your home, adding value in the bargain.
As with practically any contractor, you need to be armed with questions to help you determine who gets the job. Adding the new porch is not a DIY project. That’s why you’ll need to hire a competent and qualified contractor to ensure that the porch that’s erected is built skillfully.
NUMBER ONE:
Do you want to hire two different contractors – one to do the design, the other to do the actual building? No? Then it’s good to have a general idea of what you want. Print-out pictures of what you’d like from doing a search on the Internet.
Set a budget. That way you’ll not over-extend yourself. Build into that budget the possibility of a 10% run-over in case something unexpected occurs.
How big do you want the porch? Do you want a tiered system with many levels? Will you need a ramp or steps? Do you want things like railings or built-in seating?
Be as complete as you can be when discussing this project with your potential contractor.
NUMBER TWO – FIND YOUR PORCH CONTRACTOR:
Websites like The Better Business Bureau and Angie’s List can give you a hand in finding people you’d like to screen before signing a contract. Once you’ve identified a few candidates, see if they are on the Internet. If they aren’t, when you conduct interviews, ask them to bring along some photos of work they’ve done in your area.
Also, ask about referrals. Call the people that have already had work done and ask:
- Did the contractor come within the budget? What caused the run-over? Did the contractor inform you the new costs?
- Did they handle glitches professionally?
- Was the crew likewise professional?
- Would you ever retain them for another project?
NUMBER THREE – INTERVIEW PROCESS:
Pick three contractors from your pool of potentials. You’re going to be interviewing them for the job.
Questions to pose are:
- What type of payment schedule should you expect?
- Who is the journeyman of the site? Will this be my contact person?
- How many years has this company been around? Has it ever changed hands?
- What’s the daily schedule?
- Will you give me the address of a site where you are currently doing a job?
NUMBER FOUR – PROTECTION:
Your contractor may not have insurance because your state doesn’t require it. You want to choose a company that has comprehensive liability, even though it’s not the law. Also, ask if the owner has Workers Comp for their employees.
This is important. Some contractors sub-contract. That keeps the top man from having to shell-out extra money to cover the workers. If that’s the case, you want to see all insurance papers from every sub-contractor which the company will use. Why? A worker who injures themselves on your property could legally make you pay for medical care.
NUMBER FIVE – LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION:
A professional contractor will have all the appropriate certifications. They should be licensed. When they leave behind all of the documentation you’ve requested, don’t simply take it all at face-value. Check every source to see if they’re legit. Contact the Better Business Bureau, too.