We find there are 18 criteria that collectively measure the likelihood of you getting the value you want from a custom builder of entertainment or home office centers. If you base your selection of a builder on how each responds to the following questions, you’ll likely make the right choice. In this article, we’ll present the first four criteria. In future ones, we’ll provide the remainder.
How long have they been in business? Choose a company that is established and experienced. Why? If they’ve been able to stay in business for a number of years, they must at least have decent customer satisfaction. Custom builders you are considering should be able to provide documents that will tell you how long they’ve been in business. Don’t be passive. Ask them to provide proof in writing.
Are they financially stable? The last thing you want is to make a sizeable downpayment only to find out later they’ve gone out of business or filed bankruptcy. Ask to see their credit rating and a reference letter from their bank. Again, don’t be shy. A successful company that provides great customer service will be happy to oblige.
Do they specialize in entertainment and home office centers? Specializing in entertainment and home office centers, combined with several years experience building them, is your best bet. The more specialized and experienced, the more able they should be at solving problems related to design, space limitations, matching decor, ventilation and providing quality construction. Experienced shops focused on these are likely to be more efficient. Streamlined production increases the potential for better value with higher quality at lower prices.
Will they provide testimonials and a list of clients? The more testimonials they have the better. More importantly, ask them to provide you with a list of former customers to contact. They should provide you with at least twenty. Call some. Why? Because you can’t completely trust testimonials. Even the worst builders could have a handful of happy customers. They’ll be careful to only give you names of ones who were satisfied. You should be able to contact several of their clients in order to form a more accurate picture. If the builder refuses to provide at least twenty names, consider finding another builder.
Mike Connor is the owner of Woody’s Furniture. Woody’s builds custom entertainment centers, home office centers and closets. They have been in business since 1989.
For more information, Mike can be reached by phone at 661-945-3516, by email at woodysmfg@verizon.net or you can visit www.woodyscustomfurniture.com .