The goal of this page is to give you, the consumer, some guidelines when selecting a Home Improvement Contractor. The Maryland Home Improvement Commission, MHIC, governs home improvement contractors in the state of Maryland. The MHIC documents all reported disputes between a contractor and homeowners. Please note that the Maryland Home Improvement Commission must license only contractors doing home improvements. Contractors who only work on commercial projects are not required to have a MHIC license. To check if a contractor’s license number is current click here. It is illegal for a person to perform home improvements without a valid license. Both the homeowner and the contractor could be subject to fines. It is the consumer’s responsibility to check the status and legitimacy of a contractor’s Maryland Home Improvement license number. With the current state of the economy there has been an increase in the use of false license numbers, click to read articles from WBAL-TV. To receive complaints about any MHIC number call 410.230.6231 locally and 1 888.218.5925 outside the metro area, M-F 8:30am – 4:30pm.
“Very pleased with finished product. A very difficult driveway problem was solved and exceeded my expectations…”
-Kramer, Columbia
A home improvement is any project you do to improve your home and property. A home improvement can be the installation of a new fence, the addition of an outside fixture or a complete addition to your home. As a consumer you can perform the home improvement yourself or you can choose from a large list of contractors that specialize in all forms of home construction. Using a contractor for projects where you are not qualified or experienced is a good option. Quality builders bring their expertise to your home insuring your piece of mind during a project. Not all contractors can do everything. Discuss with them their specialties. For example F&M Contractors, Inc specializes in quality driveway replacement. You would not hire us to build an addition or paint your family room. Our 30 years of success as a home improvement contractor is based on the quality product we install. F&M Contractors uses the finest materials and outstanding workmanship which gives you a quality product. When investing your money in replacing your driveway, the cost is an important factor, but remember quality = value, but lowest cost may not = quality.
One of the best ways to choose a home improvement contractor is to talk to their past customers. You should request references so you can talk to customers and see the quality of the contractors’ workmanship. Also visiting a current project and to see what their work site looks like maybe helpful information in deciding.
To ensure quality workmanship, request a list of references from your contractor. A reference list can be a consumer’s most helpful tool when selecting a contractor. Reference lists enable you to contact previous customers and also, to see projects of the past.
For more information on selecting a home improvement contractor select a link from below:
- To see a step by step diagram on how to select a contractor click here.
- Click for information from the, Maryland State Home Improvement Commission.
