Business Categories | Architects in Pittsburgh, PA |
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You'll certainly want to ask them this. Steer clear of any company that is not insured in Pennsylvania, because that means that any incidental damage they may do on your property will be a real hassle to recover compensation for. It is never wise to work with uninsured tradesmen of any kind. Most states also require that someone have insurance in order to be issued a trade license. If they say they're licensed but not insured, they're being less than truthful.
Always ask for references, and always check them. Keep in mind though that the only references you'll get are people who the contractor is certain will give him a good review. You'd also be well advised to check online review sources in Pittsburgh as well, which will give you a broader view of customer satisfaction for a given company.
Many jobs in Pennsylvania will require municipal permits in order to be approved by the town's inspector. It's always good to ask who will be responsible for pulling those permits, and if you'll be expected to do it. You'll almost never be told to pull your own, but knowing that Pittsburgh Architects permits are required makes you appear to be a well informed customer.
This is important mostly for larger jobs. Clearly a two man operation is going to build a home much slower than a 15 man crew. This is also a good indication of the overall size of the Architects company, if that's an area of concern for you. The reason you may want to ask about the fleet is that fleet size is a good indicator of the mobility of the company. Mobility may not sound important, but it's hard for the Pittsburgh contractors to get to job sites if they lack appropriate vehicles.