How to Find a Reputable Contractor For Your Home Renovation

Owning a home can be one of life’s greatest accomplishments, but also one of its greatest headaches. If you’ve ever found yourself needing a home repair or renovation, chances are you’ll have searched online for a service.  Using google for things like “how to find a plumber in my area” or “how to find a local stair builder” can be helpful, but it can also be a little overwhelming. Search results will be thorough and plentiful, but finding a reputable company with reliable, proven results can be a little trickier.

Today on the blog, we’re going to help you navigate some different ways to filter through your searches, and find reputable a contractor for your home renovation projects. We’ll be focusing today’s search on stair builders, because that’s one of our specialties here at Pinto Carpentry, but of course this can be narrowed down to other fields as well like plumbers, HVAC techs, flooring installers, etc.

We’ll help guide you through some of the ways our clients have found us through searches, as well as different things you can ask your contractor to vet their reliability.  It’s recommended you pull at least 3 choices in your chosen service field to ensure you get a good sample pool and reasonable price points to compare and choose from.  By the end of this post, you’ll be able to whittle down your slew of results to the golden three, your top 3 choices that is, and onwards to request an estimate!  Let’s take a look and learn how to find the best stair designer and stair builder in your area.

What type of stair build are you looking for? Figure out the details to begin your search

First, you’ll want to make a list of the services you’ll be requiring.  Are you looking to add a staircase to a new build?  Are you seeking someone to repair a broken tread or riser?  Do you need your basement stairs replaced?  Is it a project requiring you to swap out an inconveniently placed spiral staircase for something more spacious?  Knowing specifically what you’re looking for will help narrow your searches down quite quickly. 

Understanding the details of your own job may seem like a so-called “no brainer” but sometimes it's the easiest, most basic steps that get overlooked in the early stages of project planning.  Some stair builders only specialize in certain applications such as outdoor stairs versus indoor stairs. For example, here at Pinto Carpentry we are interior stair builders; we would not be able to replace your outdoor deck or front porch stoop, but we most certainly can replace those rickety basement stairs with something sturdy and built to code.  Other stair builders specialize in installing metal spiral staircase kits, which is something we do not do here at Pinto Carpentry.  Make sure you’re contacting contractors who can do what you’re looking for!

Ask around for local recommendations from other clients and customers.

There’s nothing a contractor loves more than knowing a former client recommended them!  Word of mouth is one of the biggest business referrals for builders, and we always appreciate it.  Talk to your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family and ask for recommendations of reliable names.  Additionally, stopping by your local hardware store to ask if they have a network of referrals is a great idea!  Building a relationship with local suppliers is another great way that builders create a reliable client network.  Call local lumber yards and ask if they work with anyone in the area who might be able to do the job for you.  Architectural firms and interior design firms also usually have a rolodex of clients they subcontract to finish interior builds. They’re a great place to look for a local stair contractor!

Utilize social media networks to search the region for public contractor accounts.

Social media may be the last place you’d think to look for a home contractor, stair builder, or railing installer, but it’s actually a stellar resource!  Sites like Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok can provide you with a portfolio of recent work from contractors. You’ll be able to look at their current installs, client reviews, and even tagged photos of completed work.  Contractor specific websites like Angi, Houzz, HomeAdvisor, and even Pinterest often have reviews, case studies, and portfolios that show a variety of projects.  Social media and contractor search sites will allow you to narrow down the field of search with geotagging and even hashtags for the type of project you’re looking for.

Look for experienced stair builders that do these tasks full-time.

We love a good DIY-er and entrepreneurial spirit, but some jobs are best left to the professionals, and for good reason. While hiring a passionate hobbyist to assist you with small jobs around the house or a local handyman for the average repair or replacement are great, large scale construction should be in the hands of someone with industry experience.  Entrust your stair building projects to the most experienced of contractors with a long history of installs.

Ask your contractors how long they’ve been working as a stair carpenter or builder.  Professional, experienced employees of the stair building company will be able to guide you to the proper project regulations, be familiar with industry terminology, and ensure you have a finished project that meets code regulations.  Experienced contractors also know exactly where their stair building materials and supplies are coming from, and have cultivated reliable, sustainable relationships with their suppliers. 

You’ll want to select a wood stair builder who has a reliable history. They should be familiar with up to date building codes and safety regulations in the areas they’re working in. They’ll also have appropriate licensing to work in the region. 

Do a thorough investigation and check online reviews to see what previous clients have to say.

Check the contractor’s websites for a reviews section, peruse their social media, and then do a thorough search of “company name + reviews”.  Hearing directly from clients about how their experience went will give you a general outline of how you can expect your project to go, and the relationship you’ll be building with this company.  You don’t want to entrust your home to just anyone, so make sure you check both high and low reviews to get a good survey.  If the company doesn’t have any posted online, you can always call and request some references.

If you’re checking sites like Google business pages or Facebook, check how the company handles negative and positive reviews. A stair contractor who responds professionally to any negative feedback online is ideal; the company’s reply should always be professional, courteous, and handled with grace.  It’s an added bonus if a company responds to positive reviews with any sign of appreciation, too, but of course not necessary as the good reviews speak for themselves.

The company should have multiple points of contact that are easy to find.

There’s nothing worse than embarking on a home renovation project and not being able to reach your contractors.  To ensure this issue doesn’t arise, make sure you gather all contact information from your contractor, and ask the best times to reach them.  A reputable stair building company or contractor will have a static location they do their work from, even if it’s not open to the public, as well as an online website and generally a solid social media presence. At the very least, you should be able to get a mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address for points of contact. Ask them for their hours of operation for office hours in case you need to speak with someone when the crew has left for the day.

Inquire as to whether this is a solo gig, if they have a team, or if they hire out subcontractors.

Some carpenters prefer to work solo, but will bring in a team of reputable subcontractors if the job requires more hands on deck.  Working with a team of stair contractors and installers means the job will move along at a reasonable pace, ensuring less delays overall for your stair build or construction project.

Not all stair contractors and wooden stair buiding companies offer finishing services (painting, staining, varnishing) so you should ask about this up front!

It is important to know if your company will complete this or if you require an additional contractor.   Sometimes this is covered by the general contractor on site if part of a larger renovation project.  Your stair contractor will be able to let you know about this step, and if they have any recommendations for related contractors.