Four questions to ask a contractor under consideration.
1. Do you have specific insurance to apply stucco?
This is the most critical question for a potential contractor. Any of Minnesota's 13,000 contractors can pull a permit to do stucco work, but few are insured specifically to apply stucco. If your home has a structural issue related to your stucco work and your contractor's company disolves, your only legal recourse is if the company was insured specifically to apply stucco. And, if your company isn't around, who will cover the warranty? (THINK STUCCO's answer: We are fully insured to apply stucco. (Click here to see all our licenses)
2. Who does the work? Company employees or outside crews?
If the company you sign a contract with hires another company to show up and do the work (sub-contracting), legal responsibility becomes confused and issues of legitimacy and accountability could arise.
3. What is the crew's level of experience?
It takes a decade to master all aspects of this craft. An inexperienced crew can create more problems than they solve. Procedures and skills do not necessarily transfer from one climate to another, or from commercial to residential projects. There are also different nuances to stucco application depending upon the age of a home. (THINK STUCCO's answer: Our current employees have been with us for an average of 13 years with a whopping total of more than 200 years in the stucco industry in Minneapolis.)
4. Where is your business located?
When choosing a Stucco Contractor - local is better. Jobs that are closer to the company warehouse are more environmentally friendly; equipment and materials are heavy and vehicles burn lots of fuel, increasing the carbon footprint. There is also a personal reputation at stake when performing jobs in the community where you live. (THINK STUCCO's answer: We are located in South Minneapolis, the majority of employees live in South Minneapolis and 75% of our jobs are in South Minneapolis.)