When you’re looking to hiring a professional to make improvements to your home, it’s important to find a reputable company that will complete the job to your expectations. Here are some questions to ask.
Do you have insurance?
If they don’t, you could be sued if they get injured. Always ask this question, and get proof.
Are you licensed?
Getting licensed requires work and training, so licensed contractors are more credible. This helps protect you in the event that they fail to complete the work for any reason. You can verify they are licensed here.
How long have you been in business?
Longer doesn’t always mean better, but you want to ensure they have enough experience, and that they’ve been in business long enough that you can see examples of their work and contact a few references.
Can you provide a list of references?
Once you know they’ve been in business for a while, ask for references. Past performance is always a great indicator of future performance.
What does the contract look like?
Make sure the scope of work is specific. The last thing you want to do is assume something is included that ends up being an add on item.
What is your timeline?
Of course, bad weather and other unexpected problems can occur, but they should be able to provide a projected start and finish date for the project.
Are you willing to sign a “time and materials” contract?
If unexpected repairs occur, you don’t want to be stuck with overblown fees. A time and materials contact gives you a labor rate and material markup in the event of unexpected work.
And here’s one question to ask yourself:
What does your gut tell you?
Complete your research, but often you can get a sense when something isn’t right. If something feels off, or the price seems too good to be true, it’s probably better to look elsewhere.
I know lots of contractors and have had great experiences both personally and for my clients for a variety of projects. If you ever need a recommendation, please feel free to reach out!