Questions You Need to Ask a Potential Contractor

Boosting your home’s resale value often calls for remodeling or renovation projects. Whether you just purchased a fixer-upper or you’ve owned your home for decades, you will probably need the services of a home contractor eventually. As you look for prospective contractors, you might be tempted to accept the lowest bid without a second thought, but this will end up costing you more in the long run. You might end up with a dishonest or unskilled contractor, which would cancel out the benefits of any initial savings. For this reason, it’s important for homeowners to screen contractors thoroughly before accepting a bid. Here are ten questions you should ask a potential contractor.

1. Do you have a license? Contractors and sub-contractors must be licensed before doing business in most states. Ask for a copy of the contractor’s license.
2. Do you have liability insurance? If the contractor damages your property while completing the job, his/her insurance company would reimburse you for the losses. Request a copy of the contractor’s certificate of insurance.
3. Do you have workers’ compensation insurance? Unless your contractor carries this type of insurance, you could be liable if a worker suffers injuries on your property.
4. Do you offer financing? Some contractors are lender-approved, meaning they are financially sound, have good credit, and do not have any active complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau.
5. Do you have a membership in NAHB or NARI? NARI is the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and NAHB is the National Association of Home Builders. In order to belong to these organizations, contractors have to pass extensive background and reference checks.
6. Will you obtain the requisite building permits? Your contractor should be willing to pull all of the required permits for the work to be done. Most homeowners insurance companies require this in order to maintain coverage.
7. Is your work guaranteed? The contractor should offer at least a one-year warranty on his/her work from the date completed.
8. Who will supervise the job? The contractor or foreman should be on-site to supervise whenever work is being done. The person in charge should be familiar with the various aspects of the job.
9. Can you give me written references? Any contractor who is worth his/her salt will be willing to provide references. Get two or three recent customer references (for jobs completed within the last six months to one year).
10. How will you manage dust and debris? Remodeling can get messy, and you don’t want dust and construction debris all over your home while the contractor completes the job. Ask him/her how the dust will be contained and if the workers will clean up and remove construction debris each day.