Choosing a Contractor

Choosing the right contractor to do energy efficiency upgrades in your home can feel like a daunting task:  Who do I choose? What are they bidding? I have two different bids, how do I know if they’re bidding on the same project? We at Thurston Energy can make it easier for you to get and understand contractor bids, by vetting contractors in advance, filing requests for proposals on your behalf and by going over your bids with you to help you understand them.

When Thurston Energy files a request for proposal on your behalf to a vendor on our network, we provide specific instruction on what improvements need to be bid based on the top recommendations of your HomePLUSTM energy use evaluation. Additional upgrades and other suggestions will be separated from the baseline proposal. All other options should have specific detail and line item pricing separate from the baseline total pricing when you receive your bid. This allows for apples-to-apples bid comparison between different contractor proposals.

Although we do offer complimentary request-for-proposal services, we realize that some of our customers will prefer to get proposals on their own. To support this, we’ve compiled a list of questions to ask potential contractors that will ensure they’re getting the best service that they can. Some questions to ask in helping sort through the contracting process include:

  • Can you provide me with contact information for a few reference customers?
  • What portion of the proposal, if any, qualifies for rebates, tax incentives, or promotional programs through their company?
  • Does your company have a quality assurance program?
  • What are your company’s warranties on material? And workmanship?
  • How long have you been in business doing energy efficiency improvements?
  • Will you itemize additional proposal items from baseline proposal items?
  • Have you included tax in the baseline price?

 

In addition, we can be that third-party, honest advisor for you should you have questions about any bids you receive. Feel free to contact us any time if you have questions or need any assistance.