6 Things to Ask Your Contractor Upfront

Do you have the required and valid license(s) to do the job?

A Home Improvement Contractor license indicates that the contractor has financial integrity, enough experience and knowledge values that have passed the minimum requisites for him to be considered professionally competent in the industry.  Never forget to check if the license is still valid or is already expired.

Depending on what type of home improvement or remodeling job you have in mind, you should also see to it that he holds necessary trade certificates.

How much related experience do you have in my price range?

Other than the budget, low range, mid-range and luxurious renovations require a different set of skill and knowledge to be able to efficiently work with varying materials and products.  This makes contractor experience matching with the project you want to work on vital.

Do you have proper insurance?

Insurance is a very important issue to touch on as this will serve as your protection as a homeowner.  A proper insurance covers worker’s compensation and general liability.  Without these, you will be held responsible in case of worker injuries within your property as well as property damage.

Do you have references?

References that would verify that the contractor does great at his job will greatly back up the professional’s credibility.  When contacting these past customers, inquire on how satisfied they were, if they would hire the professional again, how well their property was treated, was the daily schedule consistently met, and if you could personally come by to see how well the results stood.

Will you be the one to apply for and provide the necessary building permit(s)?

If a building permit is necessary with the type of project, most contractors include this in the services provided.  The acquired permit works by securing that the home improvement or remodeling will be completed in compliance with state and local building codes.

Will You be Providing a Written Quote on the Exact Price of the Entire Project?

After all the fine points in the project have been discussed, a contractor should provide a solid figure with which he would be able to finish the work.  The price should already cover the entire project.  To avoid future problems, the contractor should be willing to put the quote into writing together with all the details of specified work.  Other than labor, if the contractor would also be providing materials, products, and other amenities; all these should also be reflected in the quote.

Craftsmen Network,

New York, NY

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at 10:29 pm and is filed under Choosing Contractors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.