Contractor Due Diligence
Everyone knows that you should be checking up on your new contractor before you sign anything and he gets to work, but too often this kind of thing gets overlooked. At the very least you ought to be checking with references and asking to see examples of previous work. This can help you get a feel for whether or not this contractor is right for the job; does his style match yours, what is his personality like, how does he run his business, etc.?
Following your contractor on social media is a great way to get to know him. You may see pictures of previous jobs that can help you get a sense of his competency and style, you may learn some of his philosophies, and just get a sense of how well you’ll be able to work together over the course of your project.
Depending on what social media platform your contractor is on (LinkedIn will have a lot more info than Pinterest will) you may also be able to review things like his license status and what kind of work he’s done in the past. All of this makes it a lot easier for you to determine if this is the right person for the job you’re able to undertake.
Contractor Deals
If your contractor is having any kind of specials during a slow month to drum up business, or if he’s connected with a company or supplier that’s having a sale, you may hear about it on social media.
Sites like Twitter and Facebook are designed to help people make connections, particularly by businesses. By following your contractor, you’re letting him know you’re interested in what he may have to say. In return, he may point out things – both good and bad – about the suppliers or jobs he’s working on. For example, if he installs wood floors and learns of a big sale coming up, letting you about it not only helps you save money, it means that he’s more likely to get the work he’s after in the future.
Contractor Trade Tips
One thing that a lot of businesses tend to do on social media to interact with their customer base is to offer industry tips, information, or stories. Some contractors may offer tips on what you should look for before signing a contract to avoid getting scammed. Others may offer checklists of things you should be looking for around the house to help increase your energy efficiency.
By helping you out, your contractor may be hoping that you’ll remember him favorably when the time comes to do the job. In the meantime, though, you can be learning a lot about the industry and ways that you can maximize the success of your next home improvement project.
Start Following Now
You have a lot to gain and little to lose by following your contractor on social media. So look him up today and find out what you could be missing.