Code of Ethics & Competency
CONTRACTORS STANDARDS GUIDE
DISCOVER HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR
Fast, Affordable, & Stunning Kitchens That Offer Luxury & Quality At Affordable Pre-Manufactured Prices!
888-311-5944
Complete this form to Sign Up For a FREE, No Hassle, NO Pressure, Virtual Kitchen Consultation!
Take advantage of this SPECIAL OFFER!
Code of Ethics & Competency Contractors Standards Guide
How to Choose the Right Contractor
So, You’re Thinking About A Kitchen Remodel For Your Home?
Congratulations! When done properly, a kitchen remodel can make your home more enjoyable and prove to be a valuable investment.
Unfortunately, we’ve all heard horror stories about home remodeling projects gone bad. Problems with longer-than-expected installation, final bills that come in higher than the quote, and shoddy workmanship, sadly, are commonplace. We were shocked and embarrassed to find out that, according to Better Business Bureau statistics, home improvement contractors are in the top 1% most complained about industries— right up there with auto repair and airlines.
Industry Standards Weren’t Tough Enough
As a family business, we’ve always done a good job and treated our customers right—and over the past 30+ years we’ve been able to build a nice business because of it. However, over the years we’ve noticed that some consumers will choose less-than-reputable companies or contractors to do jobs for them… usually because they only focus on price.
Don’t get us wrong: we’re all for good, honest competition and a great value, after all, that’s what we’d want for ourselves. But it pains us to see people risk their hard-earned money with contractors who don’t have their best interests at heart. You deserve a great value for your money—and a contractor that stands behind their work in both word and deed.
We wanted to find a way to educate consumers about how to choose a good, honest home improvement contractor. The industry standards simply aren’t tough enough—just about anybody with a hammer and a pickup truck can be a contractor. That’s why we created this guide with a set of standards that we adhere to.
We hope you use this guide and set of standards outlined to select a good contractor, if you do, you’ll protect yourself and increase your chances to get exactly what you want out of your project.
Look For Stability
You need to make sure that any contractor you do business with has proven themselves in the past, and will be there if you need them in the future. Don’t just ASK the contractor if they are
stable; look for tangible proof of longevity and financial stability by asking for the items listed on the next few pages.
What to Ask For?
- Proof of Establishment: Believe it or not, many contractors use a pickup truck for an office and showroom. A business run out of a pick up truck is a red flag – if a contractor does not have an office, that should tell you something. Don’t fall for the “we just use our trucks as offices!” line.
- Bank Letter: Good standing with a bank is crucial for any business, but gaining the confidence and security of its financial managers allows a company not only to sustain itself and endure even in tough economic times, but to innovate and grow to meet and service customer demands.
- Supplier Letter: This is written confirmation of the company’s dealings with a supplier of the product they install stating that they are in good standing as a vendor, and pay their bills promptly. These letters are easy for your contractor to obtain from suppliers—if a contractor says they are difficult to obtain, then there might be something that they’re trying to hide.
- Insurance: You need to know if your contractor carries general liability insurance for both commercial and residential projects. A sizable contractor will carry no less than $500,000… and usually around $1,000,000 of coverage. If your contractor’s insurance policy can’t cover potential damages, then the contractor would be personally liable. If he cannot cover the damages himself, you will have no legal recourse and will end up paying for any possible damages or injuries yourself. Many contractors are not financially stable…and don’t carry proper insurance coverage to protect you against losses. Additionally, contractors who fail to provide workers compensation benefits risk severe governmental penalties and potentially company-
Contractors License & Bond: You need to know if your contractor carries a current and valid license plus the classifications they are licensed for. This is the first document a contractor should present when meeting you. The purpose of the bond is to help consumers who have been financially harmed as a result of a contractor’s work by claiming their damages against the bond
Payless Kitchen Cabinets carries $1,000,000 of general liability and $1,000,000 workers compensation coverage and here’s the certificates to prove it! Do NOT deal with a contractor without sizable coverage, or you will foot the bill for the mistake.
Review Their Reputation
- References: You can tell a great deal about a contractor based on what others are saying about them – particularly their customers. You’ll need to get a little tougher with the contractor to protect yourself, by following this guide, you can reassure yourself that their reputation is rock solid. All reputable contractors carry pre-printed lists of references.
At Payless Kitchen Cabinets we provide the latest Client Reference List. Plus, we’ve designed a New Client Support Program, where we connect new prospective clients with previous clients to inquire about their experiences with the projects we’ve handled.
- Awards & Accolades: If a contractor has been doing a good job – they will most likely have been written about in a magazine or newspaper, received an award of some kind, or received special recognition from an association or trade organization.
Strong Ethics & Professionalism
A good contractor doesn’t just do good work. They also understand that, when dealing with
customers, it’s oftentimes the little things that make a big difference. You should find a contractor that shows you respect by the way they treat you, the way they look, the way they treat your property, and how they pay attention to details. Check any contractor you’re considering against these standards of professionalism listed below.
- Detailed Proposal & Change Order: Most contractors provide nothing in writing or a basic receipt or invoice. At minimum you should request a document that details the type and amount of materials to be used, estimates on measurements, time to be spent on the job. This way, when comparing multiple estimates, you have a chance to do “apples to apples” comparisons.
- No Tricks, No Pressure Sales Specialist Agreement: Many unethical contractors will resort to high-pressure sales tactics to get you to buy before you’ve had an opportunity to do proper due diligence on them. If you know nothing about the contractor prior to the sales call (from literature, references, online information) you should be wary.
We want you to know everything about us upfront prior to our appointment.
- We’ll invite you to speak with our previous clients
- We’ll send you a link to different social sites so you can check us out
- We’ll send you a link to the CSLB page so you can verify our license
- We’ll send you a link as to who’s coming to your home, including the profile page of the specialist assigned to your project.
- We’ll bring along all this information and leave it behind for you.
All Payless Kitchen Cabinets, Sales Specialists sign a “Zero Sales Pressure Agreement” that is also signed by the sales manager to pledge that they will handle sales situations in a respectful way.
- Job Cleanup Roster: Your home and yard should be cleared of large debris, and dangerous materials daily by the crew. After the job is completed, a total home clean-up should take place. Make sure your contractor has a predetermined daily jobsite cleanup routine, and a more thorough cleanup routine upon completion of the job. All Payless Kitchen Cabinets Installers follow this multi-step cleanup roster at the end of EVERY SINGLE DAY. Show this roster to other contractors.
- Worker Conduct Agreement: This compliance agreement, signed by the workers, is a 17-point contract prohibiting the use of alcohol, drugs, foul language, misconduct, or other bad behavior on a job site. It also gives appearance standards.
Keep in mind that not everything is perfect, but this agreement will greatly reduce the likelihood of problems.
All Payless Kitchen Cabinets Installers sign a “Worker Conduct Agreement” that is also signed by our project coordinator to pledge that they will conduct themselves in a respectful and courteous manner.
- Workmanship: Ultimately, any contractor has to be competent to do the job right the first time. Competence comes as a result of training, experience, and good old-fashioned hard work. Remember, the most expensive remodel is the one you have to do twice. As you evaluate a contractor, look for signs that they can do the job right the first time.
When you’re hiring someone to do any type of work in your home, remember it’s your
money and your home. Be sure you get everything in writing, ask all the questions on
your mind and clearly understand the answers you receive.
Please give us a call if we have not already set up an appointment, we’ll be happy to come out to your home to answer your questions and concerns. At the appointment we can also determine if we can meet your remodeling needs. We provide this as a FREE, NO OBLIGATION service for you and your family.
Hopefully we can show you, as we have thousands of others, how we can provide you with a fast, affordable and stunning kitchen – something to be really proud of!
Remember that when Payless Kitchen Cabinets visits your home, we are not going to use high-pressure sales tactics. It is simply a chance for you to meet with us and see if our services can benefit you. If, after our meeting, you believe there is no benefit to be
derived from working with us, we simply leave and that is that. If, however, you do find
that you would like our help, we will discuss how we proceed from there.
Complete this form to Sign Up For a FREE, No Hassle, NO Pressure, Virtual Kitchen Consultation!
Take advantage of this SPECIAL OFFER!
Our Triple Guarantee
Guarantee #1: We Make It Right Period!
Guarantee #2: Two Year First Class Installation Guarantee
Guarantee #3: Installer Professionalism Guarantee