10 Things To Ask Your Contractor Before Hiring

Home is the most beautiful and vital aspect of an individual’s life. Hence, they strive to build a strong, reliable, and exquisite house. Whether making a roof, repairing a wall, or creating a home from scratch, we make sure to research and choose the right resources and people to build our dreamland. One such topic of deep research before building a home is selecting a worthy Contractor.

To make your homemaking journey easy and smooth, we at Soleil are here with ten questions to ask a contractor before you hire them.

1. Years of experience and background: Most of the time, the contractors to sell their services can make false promises based on the little knowledge that they may have. Hence, this is one of the essential questions one must ask. Even though it is not wrong to opt for a novice contractor, having someone experienced in the field is better to ensure your worries stay at bay.
    
2. Licenses: Hiring an unlicensed contractor should be a big NO! Since a licensed contractor is covered for any losses via insurance, you do not have liability if he walks away mid-work.
    
3. Who Are Your Main Suppliers? A contractor-supplier relationship can speak a lot about the credibility of the contractor. If a contractor has been sourcing from the same place for a long, we can rest assured they are paying the suppliers on time. Also, we can get additional information from the suppliers by asking questions.
    
4. Do you carry workers’ compensation insurance for your employees and insurance for damages to the property during the construction? God forbids, but if any hazard or accident occurs at the site, you wouldn’t want to get into the legal and insurance fight for assuming that the contractor has insured the laborers. Also, the contractor entering your home should ensure that they will fix it and cover all costs if they break something.
    
5. Can you provide a list of references I can contact? A contractor working in the area for a long time and delivering his promises would have no issue sharing the references. Obtaining references for similar projects completed by the contractor can help you gauge the quality of work and speak with the parties involved to understand the contractor’s commitment.
    
6. What is the projected timeline for this project? A project may face a lot of issues. However, getting a projected timeline is essential to set goals to stay on track.
    
7. Will you take care of the building permits? Obtaining building permits is a time and cost-consuming process. Hence, it is necessary to confirm whether the contractor would look after this critical aspect.
    
8. What are the projects you are currently working on? This can be quite a tricky question. If you would be the only person who has recently hired the contractor’s services, you are bound to question why. If there are projects more than the contractor’s capacity, there is a substantial risk of the project being hampered due to pressure.
    
9. Who will be at the site, and how would it be supervised? It is expected that the contractor will be on-site to oversee the project. If they won’t be around, it is better to understand and know the person responsible for your project before the commencement of work.
    
10. Will you be hiring subcontractors on this project? It is a common practice to use the services of subcontractors to complete a task. It is essential to know who the subcontractors are working on your property. Also, make sure to understand the terms and conditions and how it would affect you.

These are some of the fundamental questions one must ask the prospective contractors before confirming their services. This would make your and the contractor’s life easy and the work seamless. Also, do not forget to ask one crucial question will there be a written agreement to keep things legal and professional.