So it’s been a while since I’ve been on the dating scene, but one thing I can remember is spending a lot of time in the mirror getting ready. I would style my hair three different ways. I’d make sure I didn’t have any facial blemishes, I’d try on 4 or 5 different t-shirts. All because he wanted to look his best. Now when he got there, and he was always a little early, he would be a perfect gentleman. Open the doors, ask his opinion and listen to what he says.

So when you’re trying to hire, you should get this kind of attention from your contractor. You must look good, speak good and listen to his opinion. So what will this look like?

First impressions really matter, do they arrive on time? I’ve heard two things the homeowner says about other contractors, either they’re 20 to 30 minutes late, or they’ll be an hour early without regard to the homeowners’ time. I’ll be the first to admit that things happen and you can’t always get to where you want to be on time, but bad traffic is not a good excuse…traffic is always bad. If someone is going to be up to 5 min. late, they should call you.

And show up an hour early and say, “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d come.” it’s a pot. Who doesn’t have a cell phone? Both scenarios tell you that they have NO consideration for your time. They must give their best and if they can’t do it before the contract is signed, they won’t do it after the contract is signed either.

So when they come to provide you with a quote, do they give it their best shot? I’m not saying a painter should come to your house in a shirt and tie, but it would be nice if he didn’t wear the painting clothes he just painted all day. Do you care about his appearance? Again, they don’t have to leave GQ magazine, but if they don’t care about their appearance, do you think they will care about your house, your stuff, or your walls? Not likely.

So let’s just say they showed up and they looked like a mess. I’d have to say it didn’t make the cut. It doesn’t matter how witty the talk is or how good the price is. If your date turned out to be a disaster, you may not even go out with them once. This should be his second criteria: he must look presentable. So let’s say you passed the first 2 checkpoints: arrived on time and presentable. The next thing is how well you communicate. If there are communication problems now, how will you know when the project is complete?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked a customer about another offer and they don’t know what’s included. How many layers to apply? The trim is included. What type of paint will be applied. How the paint will be applied. These are all basic elements that the contractor must be able to communicate CLEARLY and in writing. If you were on a date and he or she really couldn’t hold a conversation with you, even if they were the hottest thing on the planet, you probably wouldn’t come back for a second round. Especially if your opinion was ignored all night.

How is the contract? This says a lot about a contractor. Is it clean? Is complete? Is it handwritten or typed on a computer? How long did it take to get back to you? I have heard so many stories of contractors taking a week or more to bid on a project. What takes so long? The reality is that it doesn’t take that long. Even if you have to calculate everything by hand, it would take the average painter on the average project an hour to create a bid. And it is always better to receive the offer or go over the offer together, so you understand. It must mean what it says, but if you have to read between the lines, it’s easier to determine this with it in front of you. When things are promised verbally… THEY FORGET. It must be in writing.

The truth is, when a contractor is late, miscommunicates, disorganized in submitting their bid, or takes weeks to return a bid, but it’s the lowest price out of three contractors, there’s a reason. Owners must realize that the service they receive will be equal to the initial experience, or worse. If you went on a date for the first time and had a bad experience, would you want to repeat that experience? No, and you shouldn’t expect anything different with a poorly presented contractor either.