Important Points to Cover with Potential Contractors

(567 Words)
It is very important to be thorough when hiring a contractor for your home. Unfortunately, business relationships such as these often go bad and you are left with many problems. This can happen when you do not exchange the right information up front. By asking questions in advance, you can stave off many problems that could occur.
First, it is very important to make sure that the contractor is licensed as required by law for the particular work that he is doing for you. Never use an unlicensed contractor. Not only may he do work that is not up to code or satisfactory, but if there is a problem with the work and some damage occurs to your home, then your insurance company may decline to pay for it because you used an unlicensed contractor. Ask to see his license.
Make sure that the contractor has the proper insurance. If something goes wrong you want to be covered. Do not assume that your homeowners insurance will cover everything. Also, make sure that he has some sort of workers comp insurance to cover his own workers or else you could be liable. You can ask to see proof of insurance.
Ask about the experience he has with similar jobs. You want to make sure that he knows what he is doing. Depending on what job it is, you can also ask to see pictures of completed jobs.
Asked if he has any references. It is reasonable to find out about similar jobs he has done before, especially if he is doing a big job for you. You can check with these references.
Find out about his business in general. How long has he been in business? Find out exactly who will be working on your home. How long have the workers been with him? Do they have experience with the job? Does he do any security checks on them?
Now you need to find out all about the job in general. Find out exactly what he will be doing. Make sure that you know exactly what materials will be used, including the brand if possible. Find out if anything he is using is used.
Learn about the timeframe for the job. How long does he think it will take to do? What will happen if the job takes longer than that? Also, find out when he can start the job.
Ask about any warranties for the job. Some contractors will provide a guarantee. If something goes wrong, what will he do?
You need to find out the cost of the job. This should include both labor and materials, and if there are different parts to the job, get a broken down invoice as much as possible. Ask about possible costs that could arise in addition to what he is giving you.
Talk about any problems that can happen with the job. Make sure to know what he will do if anything else in your home gets damaged.
Make sure that everything listed above gets put into a contract. It is very hard to have a standing when it is a he said/she said sort of situation. Make sure that every promise such as timeframe, cost, and the job to be done is put into the contract. You will make sure that it actually comes to pass. The more thorough you are, the less likely a problem will arise