Sweeten, a service which aims to match renovators with vetted contractors, recently conducted a nationwide survey to determine what characteristics homeowners look for in contractors. Currently operational in New York and Philadelphia, the company is expanding to other regions and wanted to “delve into homeowner’s experiences and concerns,” according to founder and CEO Jean Brownhill.
According to the survey, three-quarters of respondents said they rely on family/friends for recommendations of general contractors. Nearly half also say they look for contractors online, and 39% say they would use an online referral service.
Respondents said the most important factors when identifying a contractor were providing detailed written proposals (84%), returning phone calls in a timely manner (81%), the ability to stay at cost (80%), and a guarantee of workmanship for a certain period of time (79%).
The factors that respondents said that would deter them from hiring a contractor were being difficult to get a hold of (74%), not showing up on time (74%), and managing too many projects at once (65%).
The survey also found differences between the genders when hiring contractors. Being new to the business with little references was a far greater deterrent to men (46%) than it was for women (39%). Additionally, having a relationship with materials suppliers was seen as a more important factor for women (52%) than it was for men (40%).
700 people who were involved with past, current, or future renovations were interviewed by Sweeten. The respondents all owned a home and spent/plan to spend at least $15,000 on their most recent home renovation project.