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How To Interview Home Improvement Contractors

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When it comes to choosing your home improvement contractor you are in the driver's seat. To ensure you select a reputable, experienced professional for your project you need to know what information you need.

Think of your first meeting with a contractor as an interview process, except you are interviewing them. Below are some questions to ask a prospective home improvement contractor and what answers you should be looking for.

How old is your company?
In general, you want to hire a company that has been around at least 5 years. If the company is even older, great! But at least 5 years means they have experience and have built a solid reputation.

How many workers do you have?
Once they answer this question, also ask them what's the longest a worker has been with them, and if they have a lot of newly hired workers.

How many workers will be on my project crew?
The answer to this really depends on how large your project is. A room remodel may only need one or two guys, but a whole basement remodel should have a larger crew.

Do you sub work out?
You want to know if they are doing all the work themselves or they subcontract it to other companies. If they do, find out who and how long they have worked together.

Who will be in charge onsite?
You want to know who you should call with any questions or problems. Ask for a list of names and phone numbers.

When will you start?
Find out when they are starting your job, how many days and hours they work, and when they will finish up. Find out if they call you first with any changes in schedule. Get this schedule hammered out before the job begins so you know what to expect.

How will you do this job?
The contractor should give you a rough outline of what he will do first, next, and so on. If he doesn't have a well thought out plan, be wary.

Who works for you?
Find out if the workers doing the job work for him or are all subbed out. You should get a list of who works for the company, and what they do.

Do you do any jobs, or only a special field?
The answer to this depends on what work you want done. If you are remodeling your bathroom, you might want a contractor who only does bathrooms. But if you are adding a room or finishing a basement, you want a contractor who has experience in various fields.