If your home’s been beautified by stucco, you’ll understand how satisfying the material can be. Unfortunately, stucco can be damaged by accidents, environmental factors, and aging. When you notice damage to your stucco, you need to consider hiring a stucco contractor right away. Doing so can help you save tons of money in the long run. When you’re seeking out a quality stucco contractor, however, it can be difficult to know how to approach the hiring process. To help you, we’ve put together this list of six must-know tips for hiring the right stucco contractor:

1. Get a Quote ASAP

For many stucco repair jobs, you can get a quote (even a rough one) as soon as you inform the repair professionals about the damages you want to be repaired. As you call a few stucco repair companies about the job, you’ll get a variety of quotes to choose from. If a price ever sounds unreasonable to you, you could try to negotiate, but it’s better to simply seek another company’s services at that point. When looking for a solid quote, always consider the reputation of the company you’re considering as well (as we’ll discuss in more detail later on). With the right effort, you’ll find a great stucco remediation company to handle your stucco repair needs.

2. Research Your Best Candidates

If you want to end up hiring the best option for stucco repairs, you need to do as much research as possible into the candidates you’re choosing from. Look into how many years they’ve been in business, whether or not they’ve received any awards, and try to discover if they have sample repair photos on their websites. You will also want to look into their policies, and timelines for repair – as this will help you ensure you feel comfortable with their business setup. If you find even one major policy that conflicts with your stucco repair needs, you should consider a different candidate. Asking people who have recently sold their homes about stucco contractors they’d recommend can be useful as well.

3. References are Everything

Great work leads to great references. If the candidate you’re considering has no easily accessible references listed online, this can be a red flag. Past customers should be screaming from the digital rooftops about how pleased they were with the company that you’re considering stucco repair work, after all. Additionally, asking friends, family, or neighbors about the company they used for their stucco repairs can help you track down a trustworthy stucco repair contractor. Since our digital spaces (including social media) are so filled with references and recommendations these days, it’s easier than ever to find a stucco contractor that will fulfill your requirements.

4. Discuss Guarantees and Warranty Options

If you’re dealing with a quality stucco remediation company, you’ll likely have a few guarantees and warranties to discuss surrounding their services. However, even some stellar companies are not able to provide these, depending on the local market. If guarantees and warranty options are on the table, however, you should definitely consider them. Doing so can help you save a ton of money and time in the long run. Just make sure you understand all the specifics of any guarantee or warranty options you’re considering before pulling the trigger on a long-term investment, however.

5. Ask About Maintenance Concerns

Not all stucco repairs always require a professional team to get them done. Minor repairs can be done at home, as long as you feel confident and follow instructions. As your chosen stucco repair folk get the job done, ask them questions regarding maintenance concerns for the future. This will allow you to understand exactly what you should be watching out for any time that you inspect your home’s stucco. If you can find damages early on, they will be much easier to repair!

6. Never Hesitate to Ask Even More Questions

Since these repair folks are working for you, you should never feel bad about asking them questions. Asking questions will give you solid peace of mind about their work, and its effectiveness. Additionally, this is your chance to learn about stucco repair and maintenance tips from a professional. And, of course, you should be especially on top of asking any questions you have that deal with finances, completion timelines, guarantees, and warranty options (throughout the entire repair process).

Here’s to Successful Stucco Repairs

By asking these six must-ask questions, you can feel incredibly confident about your choice of a stucco contractor. Without these tips, navigating the hiring process can be overwhelming, after all. With any luck, you’ll build a professional relationship with a company that can handle all of your stucco repairs and maintenance needs for many decades to come!