How to choose a contractor?

[jessmarimba]

I'm considering having a tankless water heater installed in my home (if possible) and I have no idea where to start on picking someone to do it, besides knowing that I don't particularly trust the Lowes/Home Depot installation staff.

I don't even know what brand of heater I want (most of them seem the same to me!) so I can't even pick from their dealer list! Where to begin?

[indysteel]

My husband and I use of Angie's List--at least in terms of finding a contractor. For big jobs, we get multiple quotes. We just went through this with replacement windows.

The Internet is your friend as well. It's rare that I can't learn what I need to learn online. It does take a lot of digging and some patience, however, to sift through all the info. There are forums on just about every topic under the sun, buying guides, reviews, etc. Consumer Reports can be helpful, too, depending on the topic. They offer online subscriptions.

Just in case you hadn't already seen it, here's a buying guide for tankless water heaters:
http://www.tanklesswaterheaterguide.com/

In researching replacement windows, I came across the gardenweb.com forums. Notwithstanding the name, there are subforums specific to the home, including one on plumbing. You might check there.

[maillotpois]

I suspect Colorado has a state contractor's license board, like California does. You need to make sure the contractor is properly licensed, bonded and insured and has no pending complaints against their license (which should be reflected by the state). It doesn't hurt to interview several, and ask for references.

[Becky]

Ask around. Every contractor that we've ever liked has been recommended by friends/family/neighbors. The licensing thing is definitely important too.

Also, I wouldn't necessarily write off Lowes or Home Depot. Find out who's actually doing the installation, and go from there... Lowes qualifies installers and contracts with them on your behalf, and they have much more leverage with a contractor than an individual homeowner often does. I don't know how Home Depot does it.

We did a front door project through Lowes, and were happy with the outcome.

[ny biker]

There's a yahoo group for my neighborhood that is a good place for contractor recommendations. So I would look for something like that in your area. It's a good way to ask neighbors for help even if you don't know them personally.

Another place I would look for advice here in the DC area is a small hardware store that only sells merchandise that is good for the enviroment -- stuff like VOC-free paint, building products made from recycled materials, LED light fixtures. They're very knowledgeable and happy to share info that will help the enviroment. So if there are any stores like that near you, it might be helpful to stop in and get to know them.

But first I would do some research on tankless water heaters. It's not always possible or a good idea, depending on your home. And there could be issues -- a contractor who lives in my 'hood installed one in his house and later took it out and replaced it with a regular tank-style water heater because he had problems with sediment build-up. And once you determine you don't have barriers to having one installed, you can learn about different brands.

I've found this site to be helpful for learning about and researching appliances:

http://www.consumersearch.com/water-heaters

[jessmarimba]

Wow, thanks everyone! I hadn't thought of Angie's list. When I tried googling for Denver I had so many responses it was a little overwhelming.

A tankless heater would be ideal IF it would work with my home, but I need to find out if the gas supply to my house could take it (and if it will fit where I want it). I was hoping to get someone to do a consultation first. If nothing else, the water heater I have is 15 years old and needs replaced so I can repair the drywall from the last hose explosion...but I'd love to turn half of that closet into a pantry instead!

[Messmariazing]

I have no idea where to start on picking someone to do it

You need to create a big list of contractors and weed them out. Start the list from:

1. Word of mouth recommendations
2. Google Reviews
3. Angie’s List
4. Yelp
5. BBB.org
6. Home Advisor

They're not all good contractors here though. Word of mouth is the way to go. Chances are your friend or your neighbor or someone of your relatives recently had a similar problem. Just ask people.

I don't even know what brand of heater I want (most of them seem the same to me!) so I can't even pick from their dealer list! Where to begin?

As someone said in this topic, Rinnai is a good brand. Rheem and Navien are great too. We chose Rinnai for our place from this great guide on how to choose the best tankless water heater.
They review propane and electric tankless water heaters too. Check them out.

[Freelifestyle]

Lots of tips! I also have an issue with my current heater, thanks a bunch!