Who Should I Hire? A Wet Basement Repair Company or a General Contractor?

As a homeowner, you may run into both small and large repair or renovation projects. Some of it may be handled by a handyman or a general contractor while others will require you to enlist a full-service repair company. If you’re not sure what they do, you may call one thinking they can do the other’s job and vice versa. You need to know what each entity can do for you and what to consider when hiring one over the other.

In this post, we’ll show you the difference between a general contractor and a wet basement repair company in Indianapolis, IN.

Work Specialization

One area where they differ is specialization. In most cases, general contractors tend to be jacks of all trades when it comes to home services. They will not only fix an issue with your basement but any other problem that’s within their score. A leaky basement repair company, on the other hand, has experts or tradespeople who specialize in one part of the home. And it’s likely to be the basement or foundation. Because they leverage their collective experience, tradespeople tend to do a superior quality job at a faster pace while foreseeing and dealing with emerging issues proactively.

Licensing and Insurance

Obtaining the necessary insurance for a home improvement service is quite expensive. For this reason, smaller contractors opt to take out a general contractor’s license to meet state law requirements. Such policies have numerous exclusions. Some even buy a policy just to show to their customers, but it’s of no real value as they let it lapse. A full-service repair company carries insurance for all their services or trades. This comprehensive coverage protects the home and the occupants against accidents or accidental damage.

Delivery and Timelines

Whenever you call a general contractor, they may tell you they’re working on a different project or excuse themselves for a few days. It’s for this reason that projects take longer to complete and costs run high. Not so with full-service repair companies who assign a dedicated team to handle your project. Since they focus on their job, they can work steadfastly to completion. The company can easily obtain permits and ensure there is safe egress and other below-the-home fixtures and systems.

Project Management

Have you ever had a contractor tell you they were working on another project or disappear for a couple of days? It’s pretty much the nature of most general contractors. They may not be likely to commit to a project that will tie them down or require more resources than they can avail.

Switching between projects is a fundamental reason that costs run high and timelines run long. Unlike contractors juggling projects, full-service companies assign a team to your project, and it is their focus until your renovation is complete. Contractors, on the other hand, may not have a dedicated person to manage their projects, as they juggle multiple projects at any given time.

Customer Relationships

While it makes sense to hire a general contractor for specific projects, hiring a full repair company is often a great choice as they prioritize long-term relationships and have experts who specialize in home repairs. If your project is out of scope for a repair company, you may want to call a local contractor to help you. Repair companies will always have your back, as they’re more established and can work with you to ensure your basement remains clean and dry for possibly a lifetime.

Who Do I Call?

When it’s time to fix your basement, consider the scope or size of your project and whether you would like to hire a familiar team for multiple projects in your home. You’re likely to hire a repair company if it’s a complex task such as basement renovation or a project that involves construction.

Both can act as consultants in some respects. For instance, when you want to make sure your basement complies with local or federal building codes. The same goes for assessments or final inspection of your finished basement.

Have a basement project coming up? Talk to your local wet basement repair company to find out what solutions they have. We’re happy to arrange a free basement inspection and supply you with an estimate for free as well.

Holly Richards-Purpura

Content Writer

Holly is a Content Writer for Groundworks who has written and edited web content for the foundation services industry for almost 10 years. With a background in journalism, her passion for the written word runs deep. Holly lives in Columbus, OH, with her husband. Along with educating homeowners, she also has a big heart for the Big Apple.