If you are looking to start a new home project, anything from new floors to a complete kitchen remodel, working with a local contractor has several key benefits for you to consider. These 10 reasons to go local may give you valuable insight and help you to make the best choice when planning your remodel.
1. Accountability & Integrity
Family-owned, local contractors rely on their reputation. While a national contractor relies on volume. For a local contractor, you are not just a number, you become a part of the family. When you choose to work with a local contractor, you are choosing to work directly with the owners whose blood, sweat and tears go directly into the business rather than a rotation sales rep. National contractors relying on volume offer upsells and high pressure scenarios while local contractors rely on honest, up front estimates. For a local contractor, your home is just like their own home rather than just another job.
2. Local Expertise & Community Ties
Local companies understand your community and have expertise in the building codes, weather, styles and more in DFW. They also understand the needs of Texas homeowners specifically when it comes to extreme heat, shifting foundations, durability and more. Local contractors also understand, live and work in your community. Hiring a local contractor helps strengthen your local economy and community because after all, local contractors are much more likely to donate to your kids baseball team than a national contractor/company.
3. Better Communication & Customer Service
A local contractor lives and works in your community and thus, you will get a faster response time when working directly with someone local. This can be critical especially when your remodel is stemming from a natural disaster and you need help now. Additionally, your local contractor is who you will work with directly which ultimately leads to clearer communication, easier scheduling and few misunderstandings.
4. Higher Quality Workmanship
Family-owned contractors take pride in their work because their name is on the line. National contractors again rely on volume rather than name/reputation. Local contractors in contrast focus on quality over volume which helps ensure that you have a long lasting remodel with results you and the contractor can be proud of. Additionally, a local contractor is hands on and skilled while often a national contractor relies on subcontractors and day laborers. This leads to less pride in the work and overall a lower quality of craftsmanship.
5. Trust & Relationship-Based Service
As a homeowner, you are much more likely to feel comfortable welcoming a local family into your home. Working with a local contractor gives a stronger sense of comfort and familiarity. Family-owned businesses often share similar values such as faith, honesty and transparency. When working with a local contractor who shares similar values, you become partners rather than simply another sale.
6. Real Reviews & Real Reputation
When it comes to hiring a contractor, reputation and reviews are critical. While national chains have a broader focused reputation and reviews from a larger scope of past clients, local contractors build their reputations and reviews one satisfied, local customer at a time. This gives homeowners a level of comfort that cannot be matched. Doing great work leads to more referrals, which local contractors rely on rather than large advertising budgets. After all, work of mouth and recommendations from those you love and trust are valuable and local contractors work hard to earn them every job.
7. Supporting Local Makes a Difference
Shop local. This short matra makes a huge difference in not only the lives of those whom you choose to work with, but your community as well. By hiring a local contractor you are ensuring that your money is spent and stays local within the community. Choosing local contractors helps grow local families and creates more jobs right in your community.
8. Flexibility, Customization, and Fair Pricing
National contractors often work within rigid, set guidelines for projects. This often does not allow for a job to be tallied to fit the customers actual needs, wants and/or budget. A local contractor however is able to tailor your projects to meet the criteria set forth by the homeowner. Often, a local contractor is more willing to work within a set budget, timeline and accommodate any special requests. Local contractors are able to do this because they have less bloated overhead and corporate markups.
9. Long-Term Relationship & Reliability
When you hire a local contractor from a family-owned business, you are ensuring that the person who provides the services will still be there long after the job is done. This allows for the homeowner to feel more secure about their warranty, follow ups and have a person on hand and ready for future projects later. One of the biggest benefits to working with a local contractor is you get a person you can trust now and in the future so you always have a go-to person in your back pocket.
10. Faith-Based Values
Often, family-owned contractors like Brace A Cross operate with faith-based values. This allows customers to rest assured that the contractor will operate with high moral standards and integrity. Additionally, your shared values ensure that you can create a lasting relationship with your contractor where you feel comfortable not just using them again, but recommending them to your family and friends. The simple belief that doing the right thing by people matters more than profit is a major benefit to working with a local contractor.
