Fourth renovation. First time I didn't vet the contractors myself. Turns out there's actually value in letting professionals do it.
I'm 54. This is my fourth major renovation across three properties. Always handled contractor selection myself because I figured I knew what I was doing.
This time I tried realm just to see if their vetting would catch anything I wouldn't. Their process was more thorough than mine. They verify licenses, insurance, references, and review past project quality in detail. I usually just check online reviews and call one or two references because that's all I have time for.
The cost data they provided was helpful too. I've wondered for years if contractors inflate quotes when they sense I don't know the market. Having actual benchmarks from completed projects gave me confidence my three quotes were all in the right range.
Two months in and project is moving smoothly. Contractor they matched me with has been solid. No drama, which is honestly unusual.
Not saying you can't vet contractors yourself. I did it fine for three projects. But there's definitely value in having people with more time and resources do the verification work. Especially if you're juggling a full time job while trying to make renovation decisions.