Attention Homeowners,
In light of the recent surge in housing demand, the market has witnessed an influx of numerous contractors. This phenomenon extends beyond the realm of siding and encompasses various sectors within the home improvement industry. Our primary objective is to offer guidance in selecting a reputable and trustworthy company. We recognize the significance of certain pivotal factors in this decision-making process.
- Years of Business Operation: The duration for which a business has been in operation serves as a vital indicator of its reliability and stability. (click here to check contractor licensing) or you see how long they have been in business by looking them up on (Better Business Bureau). Always ask the company when they come on site about how long they have been in business and cross reference their response with the links provided.
- Web presence does not mean legitimacy: Simply having a presence on the web doesn’t automatically mean a business is legitimate. In the digital realm, appearances can be deceiving. Achieving a high ranking on search engines like Google or Bing is no longer a purely organic process; many companies are now hiring marketing firms to manipulate their positions. Don’t be swayed solely by the presence of customer reviews, advertisements, or claims of being in business for 5-10 years. It’s essential to exercise caution and not assume that these factors guarantee the company’s honesty and integrity. Always do your research on a company you are about to hire.
- Multiple Domains/Landing Pages: If a company pops up multiple times on the same google search results these companies are almost always scammers/lead generation entities. For Example; if you search “Ferndale Siding company” or “Bellingham siding company” on google and you see company ABC.com and XYZ.com on the top 5 results but when you click on ABC.com and XYZ.com you get to the same company, this is a scam company and in marketing you call these doorways. Scammers will try to create these doorways to multiple pages across the web to attempt to squeeze out the real companies from popping on the first page. Scammers will always use the internet as their playground.
- Geographical Presence and Physical Office: The geographic location of the company’s office plays a pivotal role. A physical presence lends credibility, offering homeowners a tangible point of contact. It’s important to verify the existence of a physical office. Many businesses do not have an office or run their business out of a residential address or a post office. This usually has a PO box or a unit # in their address (click here for google maps to look a business location) Some companies are a little more sneaky and will acquire an address just to be able to show up on google. We call these types of companies lead generation companies. Many of these locations are not real locations and are just random warehouses/storage facilities. Doing a drive by and inspecting the listing location is an easy way to insure this business actually exists there.
- Online Credibility and Transparency (using Better Business Bureau): The authenticity and honesty of a company’s online presence, encompassing aspects such as reviews, experience, and referrals, are indicative of its commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction. BBB is a great place to see a company’s reputation. And it even reveals who the owner is which may allow you to see their age and history. If a company does not have an A+ on BBB and is not accredited that means, either they have only been in business for a few years or less, or the company has had outstanding complaints that were recently resolved or closed out.
- Referrals/Reviews: Unfortunately, we live in a world where people can be very dishonest. So its very important to not just trust reviews but ask for addresses, emails and phone numbers as references to see the company has actually done work. We recommend a minimum of 5-10 verified addressed to insure your project is protected. Some have even gone as far as to fabricating their reviews by asking family members, friends or marketing agencies to create fake reviews for them. Deciphering the difference between a real and fake review can be tricky but we suggest checking other sources such as guild quality, networx, yelp, Houzz, Angi, BBB, etc. A real customer will never leave reviews on 3-4 different websites. This is the first redflag that these reviews are not real. Another way to notice a fake review is if a review has a suspicious name
- Company & owner’s Reputation and Trustworthiness: The reputation and credibility of the company’s owner are paramount. Establishing trust is crucial in ensuring a positive working relationship. We would recommend checking if the company is part of the Hardie Elite Program to ensure that they have been vetted and can provide good quality work. If a contractor is not Hardie Elite they do not carry the necessary experience to do the work.
- Sales tactics & Approach: In contemporary business practices, many enterprises – both real companies and lead generation entities – employ assertive sales techniques. They train their sales representatives to secure a sale in a single interaction, often employing high-pressure tactics. These strategies may involve enticing prospects with special offers such as contractor rates or significant discounts. Initial price quotes are typically inflated, with subsequent reductions, sometimes up to 50-60%, reminiscent of tactics employed in the automotive sales industry. Additionally, representatives may resort to consulting a fictitious supervisor to justify offering purportedly discounted rates due to alleged overstock or similar circumstances. These sales professionals tend to be very young and assertive demeanor but often lack substantive industry experience. Consequently, when confronted with genuine project-related challenges, their ability to provide meaningful assistance is often limited.
- Employee Structure and Accountability: A crucial aspect to consider is whether the company employs in-house staff or relies on subcontractors. This determination is pivotal in understanding accountability and responsibility in case of any unforeseen issues. You can see this by looking to see if the company has a workers compensation account open. If a company does not have a workers comp account open they are subcontracting their work out 100%. (click here to check contractor workers comp) Some companies may even open a workers compensation account to create the illusion they are legitimate but do not report any employees. The account will show “0” employees reported.
- Local Identity vs. Corporate Impersonality: The distinction between a local business and a faceless corporate entity holds significant importance. Opting for a business with a local presence ensures a personal touch and a vested interest in the community. Make sure the company has a face to their business.
- Blogs/Ai Generated Content: In the construction industry, a website serves as a pivotal tool for informing and engaging potential customers about a company’s services, expertise, and values. It’s a platform where companies showcase their projects, share valuable insights, and build trust with visitors. However, some websites deviate from this purpose and prioritize driving traffic over genuine engagement.These websites often employ tactics to manipulate search engine algorithms, aiming to artificially boost their rankings. One common tactic is flooding the site with a plethora of articles, often of low quality and little substance. These articles are typically churned out in large volumes and may lack authenticity or relevance to the company’s actual services. Additionally, such websites may feature an abundance of embedded links and AI-generated photos, designed to create an illusion of legitimacy and activity.However, upon closer inspection, these telltale signs often reveal the true nature of these websites: they are not genuine construction companies but rather lead generation entities. Their primary objective is not to provide valuable information or services but to capture leads and sell them to actual contractors or service providers. They exploit loopholes in search engine algorithms to attract traffic, often at the expense of user experience and authenticity.For customers navigating the digital landscape, it’s essential to discern between genuine construction companies committed to quality and service and these lead generation entities focused solely on driving traffic for profit. An authentic company’s website will reflect its values, showcase its projects and expertise, and prioritize user experience over manipulative tactics.
We are dedicated to assisting you in navigating through these factors, enabling you to make an informed decision when selecting a company for your home-related needs.
*This is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice but just the opinions of experts in the industry*