Do you need to insulate your home? Hiring a professional company can be a bit overwhelming—after all, you’re trusting strangers to come into your home and do work. You want to find a reputable company, but there are so many to choose from. How do you narrow down your choices?
You have to do your research. Those bulky Yellow Pages books are ancient by now—looking online is the fastest and easiest way to find companies. Be sure to check out professional insulation industry websites like Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA), Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA), etc. You can even ask your utility companies for their picks of the top insulation companies in your area.
Once you do find a couple different companies, do more research (including looking for reviews and complaints filed against them on websites like Angie’s List, the Better Business Bureau, etc.). You also need to ask the company questions—“interview” them. Ideally, you should get three bids on the insulation work for your home.
Make sure to ask for bids to be submitted (in writing) with the following:
- The coverage area to be insulated
- The installed R-value (not the thickness but the final R-value when everything is completed)
- The total cost (is it an hourly rate, fixed price or based on coverage area?)
- The schedule
- Expressed warranties for the work
- Potential issues the contractor might face during the installation process
What to Ask Insulation Companies
Ask the insulation contractors things like:
- How long have you been in business?
- Do you have a license (if necessary) to operate in the state?
- Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau?
- Do you have insurance to cover any accidents while working on the project?
- How do you handle customer complaints?
- What types of insulation do you install?
- Do you have references I can contact?
Don’t hesitate to ask questions. A good insulation company will be happy to answer any questions you have!
Be sure to actually contact the references the insulation contractor provides. Ask questions like:
- Why did you select this contractor?
- Was the contractor on schedule?
- Did they give you a written estimate before starting work? Was the project completed on budget?
- Did they maintain a clean work space and clean up well afterwards?
Do you need to insulate your home in the Norfolk, Virginia area? Contact Tidewater Insulators to learn more about our services!
