Hiring a Contractor to Work on Your Home

If it’s time to hire a contractor to add onto or remodel your home, you need to ensure that you’re hiring a professional you can trust. Here are some important questions to ask when you call:

How long have you been in business?

Are you bonded and insured?

Have you completed a job like this before?

Do you have a list of references I can contact?

When can you start my project?

If you find the contractor easy to talk to, set up a time to meet in person. When that time arrives, if the contractor does not show up, or if he or she is late and does not call you, this is a red flag; don’t work with him or her. 

When meeting in person with contractors, ask for their permanent business address; if it is a PO Box, ask why. Find out if they are licensed to work in your area. Make sure their licensing is sufficient for your project. Here are additional questions to ask:

Do you use dust control procedures?

What kind of cleanup happens at the end of each day?

When you find a contractor you like and want to hire him or her to work on your home, get everything in writing. Make sure your concerns are covered in the contract. Before work starts, cover these details:

Agree on a designated smoking and eating area for the workers. 

Let them know where it’s ok to park.

What time will workers arrive? When does the workday end? Are weekends possible? 

In case of an after-hours emergency (fire, smoke, water), who is the contact?

Who is the contact person and when will they be on site?

For safety, agree that you’ll keep kids and pets out of the way.

If it all sounds like too much and you’d rather sell and find a new home, I can help! Call or email me today.