For many consumers, finding a contractor to make  repairs or improvements to their home can be a stressful and overwhelming process.  Do you trust this company to come into your home, treat it like it was theirs, get their work done on time and on budget, all while being easy to work with?

Scottish strives to be that contractor for all your Home Improvement needs!  Even if you don’t use us, we genuinely want to you to have a good experience with your contractor, so we put together this checklist from EHow.com to help with the process.

1. Check with friends who have done similar work to the job that you are contemplating. See how satisfied they were with the contractor.  See the many people who have had a great experience with Scottish on our Testimonials page.  Upon request we will be happy to provide you with names and numbers of some of these clients so that you can talk to them yourself!

2. Before you even start calling the contractors, check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in your area. See if there are any unresolved complaints with a given contractor. Choose one that has no record of complaints, or one where the complaint was resolved to the consumer’s satisfaction. Be aware that a new contractor or one that changed his legal name to dodge complaints may not have any record of complaints with the BBB, so it is important to follow all of these steps.  Here is a link to Scottish Home improvements BBB listing.

3.  Call contractors that pass the BBB test and get bids. Be sure to give the job details the same way with each contractor so you won’t be comparing “apples and oranges”. Get a list of references, that is recently completed jobs the contractor has done that are similar to yours.  Call Scottish today at (303) 662-8150 or complete our contact form and someone will follow up with you shortly.

4. Select the best bid. The best bid is not always the lowest, as the quality of materials may differ. Examine the proposals carefully.  Call the references given by the contractor you picked. See how satisfied the customers were with the job. If there were complaints about the job, or the contractor was unable to give any references, consider the “second best” bid instead.  Again, see the many people who have had a great experience with Scottish on our Testimonials page.  Upon request we will be happy to provide you with names and numbers of some of these clients so that you can talk to them yourself!

5.  Verify that the contractor you choose is licensed.  Scottish is licensed and insured.  Just ask us and we can show you!

6.  Read the contract very carefully. Make sure that the contractor has liability insurance and that his employees or subcontractors are covered by workman’s compensation. Ask questions about anything you don’t understand, and don’t be shy about asking for changes to the contract. You are the customer.  At Scottish our contract is very straight forward.  If you ever have any questions, please ask your sales person.  If you ever have any problems there, feel free to contact our owner, Martin Faith, directly by calling (303) 662-8150 or emailing mfaith@scottishhomeimprovements.com.

7. Make sure the contract lists specifics of your job. List brand names of supplies, type and quantity of items to be installed, etc. Will your contractor do the painting after something is installed or subcontract with somebody else, or leave you to secure the painting?

• Include cleanup and debris removal in the contract.

• Note any follow-up or guarantees the contract provides.

8.  Obtain a liability of insurance certificate made out in your name. The insurance companies give these out on a regular basis. Do not be timid to ask for it. It is the only sure proof of insurance no matter what is written on the truck!  Ask an this shall be given.  Scottish is more than happy to provide you with proof of insurance.

9.  Make sure that the contractor obtains any necessary building permits. If he/she will be digging, make sure he/she checks underground utilities.  Most home improvements do require permits. We always handle this complicated process for the client.

10.  Once you are satisfied with the contract, sign it and give the contractor his deposit by check. If you decide to give a cash deposit, be sure to get a receipt.  At Scottish we always provide you with an invoice/receipt on the receipt of any funds.

If you ever have any questions about finding a reputable Home Improvment contractor in the Denver, Colorado area, please don’t hesistate to call Scottish.  While we specialize in windows, doors, siding, stained glass and home remodels, we can provide you with referrals to a number of our peers, along with recomendations about who to talk to and what questions to ask!

The Colorado Springs Home & Landscaping Show will be here this weekend, January 15-17, 2010. Stop by and see us at the Phil Long Center in Colorado Springs on Friday 4pm-7pm, Saturday 10am-7pm and Sunday 11am-4pm. Scottish Home Improvements will be there to answer any questions you have about siding, windows, and roofs.

Give your home a new look today. Come by and book an appointment at our show !

Dear Martin & Jim,

My husband and I are enormously pleased with the results of your work on our house, and also enjoyed dealing with you and with your employees and subcontractors. Without exception, every person I met who had any connection with Scottish was friendly, diligent and quick to respond to my needs or concerns. Moreover, the price you charged was eminently reasonable – I should know, because before signing up with Scottish, I solicited bids from about six other companies.

Scottish transformed our decrepit, Victorian style home into a “Painted Lady.” (That’s how San Franciscans refer to a really fancy Victorian house.) This transformation required the concerted efforts of highly skilled workers. You removed about 3650 square feet of damaged wood fiber siding as well as sizeable amounts of rotting wood trim and ugly soffit, and replaced everything with Hardie products. In addition, you did the detail work involved in restoring our dilapidated Victorian ornamentation. On top of that, you replaced a bad gutter and two decaying boards on a storage shed, fixed a sagging porch roof, and rebuilt an unstable garbage can enclosure.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing you ever since late spring, when I began searching for “the right company” for my multifaceted, home improvement project. In the course of our relatively long association over this complex job, I’ve come to respect not only your competence, but also your integrity. I would enthusiastically recommend Scottish to my best friend.

Sincerely,

Joey Kadish

I just had to let everyone know how amazing our Vista window film has been this summer. It’s now the 24th of June and we have yet to switch on the AC.  The temperature at our home in Centennial reached 92 degrees outside but the inside never got above 78. In years gone by we would crank up the AC around 8am and keep it on all day in an effort to stay cool but now we can enjoy the summer with the knowledge that we are not wasting hundreds of dollars a month on energy bills.

Scottish Performance Films will be performing a Live demo of the benefits of window film at Thorntonfest this coming Saturday May 16th, Come and see for yourself the energy saving benefits of Vista window film which will reduce  your energy bills and eliminate UV rays which destroy your furniture and artwork.

Energy Saving House Event-

Green Festival at the Colorado Convention Center (Downtown Denver), this weekend.

Visit the Scottish Home Improvements Energy Saving exhibit, where we will be featuring our live demonstrations of the many energy saving benefits of having window film in your house.

Having an energy saving house can really make a difference in your annual budget. Our professional window film experts will be on hand to give you Free advice on how to save energy, protect your furnishings from UV rays, and make your dollar go further.

The Scottish Performance Film installer was at my home yesterday and installed our Vista window film. The film is almost invisible so I was absolutely amazed today when the sun came out and the heat and glare that used to drive me out of that part of the house was now gone. Everything you told me was true and the product has exceeded my expectations. I almost can’t wait until the summer to find out how much I save on my utility bills. Thanks to all of you.Margie.

I just got a great call from a client who installed Window Film.  He is reporting a 45% energy savings since installing the window film.  WOW!

-Martin Faith