Written by Stephen Ondich
- Ask Friends, Relatives and Co-Workers for References. …
- Interview at Least 5 Contractors. …
- Be Realistic About Availability. …
- Ask What Work Will Be Done by Subcontractors. …
- Choose the Right Contractor for the Right Project. …
- Check Licenses, Complaints and Litigation History. …
- Check References. …
- Sign a Detailed Contract.
source: US News
Finding local contractors in Maine for construction, renovations & home improvements is difficult. The list above is from US News & World Reports. The list is helpful for many areas of the United States. However, Maine is a bit different.
Maine’s contract laws, demographics, geography and culture present unique regional challenges for finding good help with construction projects.
There are 6 things you must know before hiring Maine contractors to do residential construction work.
These tips are mostly for people from away (not a local Maine resident). Realistically, no locals are Googling “How to do construction in Maine.” Rather, it’s more likely a person from away looking to make their dream house in the beautiful state of Maine. It’s a goal shared by many.
In many parts of the US, if you can afford the land and construction costs, you’re fine. However, Maine is a little different.
In 2019, we undertook the reconstruction of our home in Milbridge, Maine. Over the next 18 months, we learned a lot about contracting and home construction in Maine. Hopefully, these 6 tips will help you, too.
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Maine Contractors: 6 Critical Things to Know!
1. Online Construction Cost Calculators are Mostly Useless
Typically, online cost calculators create a rough estimate of construction costs based on local contractor rates and material costs. However, they don’t take into account availability of labor to actually do the work. Thus, what good are they, really?
Maine has a small population spread out over a very large area. Therefore, local contractor in Maine statistics are misleading and not necessarily relevant to Maine’s diverse regions. 90% of the officially tracked construction projects may be in the Bar Harbor/Portland areas. Whereas, construction in Eastport and Aroostook may take place unrecorded to the trade based on a handshake between friends.
Basically, it’s a fair market price based on the faulty assumption that contractors are available to do the work. Additionally, 2022’s spiraling inflation in both labor and materials may not be reflected in the calculator.
Accordingly, use these tools cautiously for early-stage planning purposes. only.
2. Contractors in Maine are Extremely Scarce
Maine has a severe shortage of home building local contractors.
I know…good help is hard to find everywhere. However, Maine has very few local contractors to choose from.
Also, please note, I’m not referring to only good contractors in Maine. I am including home builders and home improvement specialists that you’d never want to hire in the pool of options.
During their new home construction, our neighbors gave up on their contractors and did most their construction work themselves.
This dovetails into secret #3.
3. Maine Has No Contractors Licence Board – Buyer Beware!
While there are a great many competent, ethical home contractors in Maine, it is up to you, the consumer, to find one. Home contractors are not licensed …
source: Office of the Maine Attorney General
Unlike the state you’re probably from, Maine does not require home builders to be licensed. Accordingly, anyone who wants to build a house close by is a local contractor and homebuilder.
There is no oversight board or minimum standard of qualifications. Many people from away are surprised to learn this.
Whether you think this is horrible policy or a libertarian’s free market dream, it’s important to realize that this is the reality in Maine.
In my experience, the Maine system works pretty well.
If you have a problem with a contractor, it’s treated as any other business transaction. Consumers vet potential trades people through recommendations.
Word travels quickly in small towns. Most of Maine consists of small communities. Accordingly, bad reputations follow people around and keep lousy contractors from operating unscathed.
However, many systems work well in Maine that wouldn’t work in other places. For example, in Maine, people leave canoes on their lawn all summer. Whereas in California, a decorative flag was stolen from a pole attached to our house.
4. Referrals are Still the Best Way to Find Contractors in Maine
If you’re used to using Yelp, Angie’s List, etc. to find local contractors in Maine you may be disappoint.
Although Maine contractors are starting to warm up to online services, they’ve been slow to do so. Additionally, low participation on these sites by both contractors & consumers means the data may be statistically insignificant.
For example, a contractor with no experience may appear at the top of the Yelp results by virtue of one good review posted by a family member. Whereas, the best contractor in the area may not even be in the directory!
Why Don’t Maine Contractors Care About Yelp/Angie’s List/ Etc?
There are several reasons why online construction directories have low participation rates in Maine.
- Older population. 21.2% of Maine’s population is over 65 years of age . That includes both customers and service providers. Younger people are the first embrace new technologies. Sure, maybe your Grandpa loves writing scathing Yelp reviews now but how long did that take?
- Additional Work Not Needed. If you have 12-18 months of work booked, how much time do you spend promoting yourself for more work? If you’re a contractor in Maine…not much. Many Maine contractors are in this situation and aren’t actively looking for new clients.
- Reliance on Local. Often, local contractors in Maine prefer dealing with someone they know either directly or indirectly, over someone new. This way, the client is unlikely to stiff them and disappear. Also, the contractor is dealing with a real person onsite rather than a voice on the end of a cell-phone. Additionally, the person is easy to find in the event of a financial dispute. The person searching Yelp is likely not local. She’s the client in New York who needs a carpenter in Downeast Maine. However, local jobs for local clients occur mostly through work of mouth.
5. Maine Geography is Significant for Contractors
Maine is low density. It has lots of land and its people are spread out thinly per square mile.
A common sentiment in Maine is, you can’t get there from here. That means places look a lot closer than they are.
When looking at a map of Maine, you tend to judge distance as the crow flies, rather than reality. Unless you’re travelling by chopper, you’re going to need to stick to the roads. Construction companies in Maine know this. People from away often gloss over this fact.
Maine roads can be slow, winding and often not very direct. Sure, you can make great time on I-95 but you’re still using side-streets and rural roads once you exit.
Basically, don’t assume that a contractor will consider your project just because it looks pretty close on a map. Soaring 2022 gas prices have Maine drivers on edge. Contractors are no different.
6. The Maine Mindset
Maine contractors think differently than those from other areas of the US. This is perhaps the most puzzling challenge for people from away looking for local help.
It’s not necessarily better or worse, just different. Keep in mind, I, too, am from away (Southern California). Here are my observations:
- Money Doesn’t Talk. Most people from out of state looking to build in Maine have significant equity. Generally speaking, full time Maine residents are working class, not overly wealthy and not enamored of wealth building. They are used to seeing people with lots of money. If they don’t blink when the Rockefellers come to town, don’t expect them to jump at attention for your $250,000 project. In fact, assuming money is a sufficient incentive may be a turn off.
- Workload Capacity. Often, those in Maine’s construction trade stop accepting work once their season schedule is full. Accordingly, once they’re booked, they have little interest in trying to squeeze in another job. Whereas, faced with the same dilemma, California, contractors scramble to hire, subcontract, or outright lie in order to lock in one more project.
- Project Estimates. Maine builders often operate under a very fixed cost structure. Whereas, in other parts of the country, supply & demand makes pricing more dynamic. Mainer’s like to charge a fair price. They don’t want a reputation for gauging. While admirable, this trait can be frustrating for consumers unaccustomed to it. For example, you may receive fair estimate for a kitchen remodel. After calling the contractor to proceed, he tells you he can’t get to it for at least 2 years. You’re left wondering: 1) Why do the estimate at all? 2) Maybe he should charge more? Basically, he is mentally locked into a dated price structure which keeps him very busy but leaves money on the table. Many Mainers are fine with that. Outside projects come & go with the ebb and flow of the US economy. Their local reputation is significantly more important to their long term commercial viability.
7. Decide Where to Watch the Sunrise
Pick your preferred sunrise viewing location ahead of time. Most people do one of two things.
- Watch from the Summit Marker. Understandably, most people watch close to the Summit Marker. It is an iconic location. However, it is also crowded. To get there, follow the gravel path along side the restrooms. The marker is on the right hand side at the end of the path. Look for the highest ledge.
- Cadillac Summit Loop Trail. If you’re looking for solitude at sunrise, head down the trail just a bit. You don’t have to go very far. Again, most hikers congregate around the Summit Marker like moths on a light.
Why Watch the Sunrise from Cadillac Mountain?
Watching the sunrise anywhere within Acadia National Park is exciting. However, Cadillac Mountain is the optimal location for several reasons.
- Cadillac Mountain is the highest viewing location along the Northern Atlantic Coast. If you go between October and March you get bragging rights for seeing first daylight in the United States.
- Cadillac Mountain is one of the most popular attractions in Acadia National Park. It is busy almost all of the time. Yet, you know you’re going to go. Therefore, why not see it at its most spectacular?
- It is a communal experience, kind of like going to church or a Grateful Dead show. Cadillac Mountain is where the faithful gather to witness first light.
