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10 Questions You Must Ask A General Contractor Before Hiring

Deborah von Donop

I’m sharing 10 questions that every homeowner should be asking when interviewing and selecting contractors, for a project.

Stop contractor Stress and use our guide here to set up for success.

Building can be a wonderful experience. But finding the right general contractor for your project can be a little overwhelming. People often ask, “How do I prepare for my meeting with a general contractor?”

To set yourself up for the best results during the process of selecting a General Contractor know the right questions to ask.

10 Must-Ask Questions for Your General Contractor

You will need to ask the right questions before hiring any General Contractor ( GC) to understand how they work, are their clients happy, and what to expect with your project. GCs manage every aspect of the job, including the hiring of subcontractors.

How do I interview a contractor? Knowing these 10 pro tips to hire the right contractor will prepare you to hire a team member that you understand and feel comfortable with for your renovation.

HOW TO BEGIN the KITCHEN RENO PROCESS: A RENOVATION REQUIRES A TEAM APPROACH

Step 1: Hire an Architect to prepare the renovation plans and construction documents.

Step 2: Take the stress out of your kitchen renovation and hire a kitchen designer. The kitchen designer will work with you, the Architect and GC offering the answers a contractor needs to build the project with the best results.

Step 3: Hiring the right General Contractor ( not a builder there is a difference ) by following the checklist we have prepared for you here.

How To Find A Contractor:

When choosing a builder, you might spend just as much time (or more) searching for one as you will to find an architect. The criteria is essentially the same, being price, quality, service, & your comfort level with them. There are many ways to go about this search, & the following would be my recommendation in order of preference:

Ask For Referrals from friends and neighbors.

  • Many people will start with online services, such as Angie’s list, Home Advisor, Porch, or other service to start finding GC’s in your area. These site generally pre screen Contractors for legal or credit issues.

  • Word of Mouth: Ask your friends , family or neighbors for recommendations for Contractors they have worked with in the past, and have had a positive experience.

  • If you are working with an Architect, ask them for a recommendation. The industry is small within communities and she/he will be able to provide you with a few recommendations they have worked with, or know that they would be a good fit.

  • Ask your realtor, or a subcontractor you have worked with in the past.

Asking the Right Questions: Your Initial Phone Call

Contractor interview questions. You need to pre-qualify the builder to see if he’s a good fit for your project based on some general questions. Here are our top questions to ask on the phone.

  1. · What kind of projects does he/she usually build and what’s the construction cost of those projects? Make sure your project is a good match. Some builders are geared to do small projects while others are geared to do larger projects. If it’s too big or too small relative to what they normally do, they most likely will not be interested.

  2. · Has he/she built projects similar in size & scale to yours? A good GC is well versed in most types of construction, but the skill set, resources and vendors for a modern building 5000 sf house requires a different skill set than building a 2000 SF Colonial. If in your neighborhood a high-end house typically costs $400/SF & all they have built are low-end houses at $200/SF, they may not be the right choice.

  3. · Where is the office based & how far is she/ he willing to travel? Some builders think nothing of traveling for an hour, while others don’t want to leave town.

Once you’ve narrowed down a short list of builders to consider, you will now set up a meeting to discuss your project in more detail. This meeting will ideally be at your house so they can see your existing house & property.

READ MORE

Read these related posts to learn more…

Here is Your Hiring Checklist- 10 Key Questions to Ask General Contractors.

Once you have a list of potential team members to work with, you will start asking for pricing and start the interview process at least 2-3 months before you would like to start.

*TIP: The lowest price is not always the best choice. Do not choose based on price alone. I know many contractors who are good at selling the project but will turn around and have many “change orders” for your slightest revision or add-on.

This working relationship is like a marriage, for both of you, so make sure you are comfortable with the people /team you will be working with and all of your questions are answered. Renovating a home is time time-consuming process and a substantial expense, so make sure you are in good hands. You can never ask too many questions. You will be working for 6 months or more together, so try to choose wisely, and Trust your instincts.

Question 1

Are you licensed? What certifications do your technicians hold? What training do you require of your staff?

  • A remodeling contractor will need to go through local and state agencies to acquire licensing for the work they will be performing. Ask them about what licenses they have. It is common to seek proof of business license, bank letter of financial stability, and insurance certificates.

  • Ask the contractors how they identify and work with subcontractors when the need arises—for example, if you need to replace your heating or cooling system. Can they help you find and work with a contractor who is properly trained to install heating and cooling equipment?

Question 2

Can you provide me with a certificate of insurance before we start?

  • All Contractors/subcontractors that you will have in your home should have workers’ compensation and liability insurance for the type of work they perform. Ask for a copy for your records.

Question 3

How much will this Cost? What is the payment structure?

  • Discussing the Budget. You need to consider your home’s value and be honest with your answers. A builder will provide an estimate and request for a deposit and a payment structure to be used throughout the project. Payments usually coincide with project completion.

Question 4

Reputation: Can you provide me with a list of client references?

  • If you haven’t already asked for a list, request one now and call all the references. This is your due diligence to ensure the best choice by speaking to past clients and gathering their input, not just what is on paper.

  • Any reference is going to be positive so dig a little deeper with questions like What would you have done differently? Is there anything you didn’t like? Were they willing to come back and fix something after the project was completed? would you hire them again? Was he/she responsive to your questions?

Question 5

How many years of experience do you have with this type of project? Can we visit at least one of your past projects?

  • The more experience in this industry, the better the chances for good service. Seeing a project on a website is one thing, but seeing it in person is important.

Question 6

Will we require a permit, and are you able to acquire all permits for the project?

  • A remodeling contractor will need to go through local and state agencies to acquire proper permits for the work they will be performing. If there is any reasons for not being able to pull a permit, this is a red flag.

Question 7

When can you start? Current projects? How many other projects do you have during this same time frame?

  • You will want to start right away, but if you like a select Contractor, and they are currently busy with a couple of projects, you may want to wait. .

Question 8

Will you be assisting me with selections of plumbing fixtures, hardware, tile, and light fixtures throughout the house?

  • The process of selecting all the details, like colors, fixtures, and finishes can be overwhelming. Many contractors want you to make the selections and they will install. You need to decide if you will bring in an interior designer, or ask your, kitchen designer, to select these items. otherwise, you will be visiting showrooms on your own, making the decisions.

Question 9

Is your bid itemized or fixed?

  • A Fixed-price (bid) proposal is a priced proposal based on your project scope. This is primarily used for smaller projects and one that most homeowners are comfortable with at the beginning of a project. A fixed price basically guarantees a specific job for a specific price.

  • An itemized (bid) is used on larger projects because a Fixed-price proposal makes it harder to compare different contractors without items listed differently, and an itemized bid is a lot more paperwork to generate and maintain. A larger project may require an itemized bid to leverage your best pricing options.

  • With either type of contract don’t be afraid to negotiate. Gathering multiple bids allows you to see areas where you may be able to negotiate a 4-5% difference in the bottom line.

Question 10

Deposit to start: How much of a deposit do you require to get started? What does a payment schedule look like?

  • Homeowners should agree to pay no more than 10-20 percent of the total cost of the renovation as an initial deposit, or on the first day when work begins.

Question 11

Change orders: How do you handle change orders?

  • Homeowners should agree to pay no more than 10-20 percent of the total cost of the renovation as an initial deposit, or on the first day when work begins.

Selecting the right contractor is not an easy task and should be done carefully. You’re putting an awful lot of trust into one person, who is going to handle your finances and be in your house for awhile. Construction can be fun, but it can also very trying at times for everyone involved, no matter how much experience you have. There are going to be the highs & lows, and having the right General Contractor will make it all that much easier to move forward and sleep at night.

How to Start Your Kitchen Renovation Series

This is part of our series on “ How To Start Your Kitchen Renovation “ for a full process guide, step by step through the entire process for best results.

In our previous article, we provided a quick checklist to help you find the right kitchen designer , and how to navigate that initial meeting. “Your First Meeting with Your Kitchen Designer.” When planning a kitchen renovation you start the process with an architect if the home is shifting in square footage and new walls are being built. It is the kitchen designer who can plan the best layout and later in the process, also assist you in selecting fixtures, hardware and finishes. Once you have your plans from the architect and a layout and cabinet design from your kitchen designer, your next step will be to hire a Contractor.

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I hope you found this list helpful and feel that you are better prepared for this first step in your renovation.

xo,

deborah

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Thank you again for every email, text, note, Facebook message, Instagram comment, all of it.  You are the reason I love what I do so much.  I am thankful and consider it a privilege to be a small part of your life.  

Peace be with you,

xoxo

Deborah

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