Sorting through contractors to find the reputable ones is no easy task for you, and Illinois licensing laws can add to the confusion unless they are explained simply like I am about to do for you. First, current Illinois laws regarding construction trades only require roofers and plumbers to be licensed through the State.
You would think electricians would be included in this, but licensing for electricians is done on a more local level. Most jurisdictions DO require licensing, so any electrician would need to be licensed for the specific jurisdiction you live in.
Aside from this, there is no such thing as a licensed general contractor or remodeler. If you have visited very many contractor web sites and/or have materials from contractors, you may very well have seen the words licensed, bonded, insured used, and it could be misleading.
An example of proper use would be when I am doing work in communities such as Naperville where I do a lot of my work and maintain an active business license. By keeping my license, insurance, and bonding current, which I do, I can make this claim but it is limited to Naperville and other jurisdictions where I stay current.
Unfortunately, not all contractors are willing to make this distinction. You want to be sure that any contractor you hire is legal in the jurisdiction where you live.
Use this law to your advantage
One Illinois State law will offer some additional peace of mind whenever the work on your home exceeds $1000. The Home Repair Consumer Rights pamphlet put out by the Illinois Attorney General's Office must be presented by the contractor and signed according to Illinois State law.
Important principles in determining reputability
Another reliable indicator of reputable contractors would be good standing membership in trade organizations that enforce standards and codes of conduct. As a homeowner, this one is trickier for you to discern, especially with the money being spent to create a perception that's not backed up with facts, but I'll outline a few principles you will find helpful.
- Services that capture your information and pass it on to contractors seem like a good idea because it's free for you and the contractors must pay to get in on the information you provide. Though these "lead generation companies" make a convincing presentation, the mechanism to assure reputable contractors does not measure up to the claims. Reputable contractors have largely rejected this model due to legitimate concerns. Although it's possible to find a reputable contractor this way, it's more likely you'll be contacted by companies with high pressure sales reps.
- Other organizations that use a paid listing model offer some value through a rating or complaint management system, but I don't believe it's demonstrated enough value unless it's backed up by other factors. Reports of how easily these systems are circumvented make them too unreliable. I would advise digging deeper before hiring based on a grade or rating.
- Ironically, it's the lesser known organizations such as National Kitchen and Bath Association (NBKA) which I belong to that are more strict with membership requirements. The same principle applies that this is not enough on its own, but trade organizations more specific to particular trades offer a better sense of real credibility.
- This one may seem more obvious, but reputable contractors can provide references and testimonies...real people like yourself who have had experience working with the contractor you are considering. Even then, don't simply rely on the list they provide you with, use the search engines. If they have burned someone, you're very likely to find out about it using the Internet.
I won't pretend that determining the reputability of a contractor is easy, but there are many great ones out there. It's also true there are many bad ones. Despite the challenges of determining which is which, it is worth it.
Having the job done right the first time is always the least expensive. Since your home is probably your biggest investment, you can't afford the risk and lingering "gotcha" expenses associated with illegal or disreputable contractors.
