This year we asked the public to weigh in on their favourite contractors and we loved the overwhelming responses that we received.
There are many qualities that people look for in a contractor. Indeed many of our readers who participated in this year’s Contractor Awards survey listed a number of traits that qualify a good contractor from a bad one. From knowledgeable to honest right down to cost, there are a number of factors to take into consideration when choosing the right contractor for your project.
Where do you find your contractors?
Not too surprising for a small island, over 85% of our responses were via word of mouth and referrals. Somewhat different from our Realtor responses, many of our readers said that they also look for their contractors via social media.
What type of contractor do you have a hard time finding?
We know everyone needs a contractor of some kind at some point… but is it always easy to find one? Much like our Realtors, our readers agreed that the hardest type of contractor to find is one that handles the small jobs/handyman. It seems the island is in big need of contractors who are around to do small jobs and we can’t seem to find them! Some other types of contractors in demand were plumbers, carpenters and electricians.
Another popular response, which should be noted, was “a reliable one”. Reliability seems to be at the top of the list when taking on a new contractor. Having someone who will show up and complete the job on time and as quoted is a major factor. In a market where word of mouth is key – a Contractors reputation is of the highest importance.
What’s the number one quality you look for in a contractor?
We listed a number of important factors and qualities that can make a good contractor including knowledgeable, availability, rates/price, experience and reliability and we were surprised by the results. While all of these qualities are necessary in a good contractor, two stood out over the rest.
While one would think that a contractor’s rates would come into play, as well as their availability to do the job – they both had almost no importance to our respondents. Actually, it was a very close tie between reliability and experience.
It was almost fifty – fifty on which was more important but reliability won out by a fraction. Again our readers felt they would prefer someone who is reliable and will ensure that their project be completed well and on time.
Who is your favourite contractor?
With such a broad range of contractors in Bermuda,
we put the question out there to our Readers… Who’s the Best??
No category, no criteria – who’s excelling at what they do, and here are the responses:
#1 – Martin Estis
A&M Construction
Shout Outs Go To:
Joe Botelho – Botelho Construction
Gene Aitken – Surface Trends
Tony & Ricky Cabral – Cabral’s General Contracting
Mr. Peets – Peets Electrical
Green Island Restoration
Roy Correia – Bermuda Built Construction
Jarvis Francis Jr. – Jarvis & Son’s
