Ask a Contractor

How to hire a Contractor with 10 easy Questions...

Are you a business? Never hire someone who is not an actual business, a good follow up question is Are you incorporated?

How long have you been in business under this name? 4 out of 5 contractors will not be in business within 5 years.

Are you insured? This is the time to ask who they get their insurance from and whether it is up to date. Get involved with the insurance certificate to find out what they are exactly insured for and for how much.

What are your typical projects? Always think, “Does this particular project seem to fit within the realm of their usual business?

Do you have a yellow page ad? This question shows whether or not they are stable enough to support a marketing and advertising campaign. It helps to look at the ad and see if would take a steady income to maintain it.

Do you have local references, and pictures? References are great, but pictures are worth..you know. Can they actually accomplish what they say they can? The proof will be in the pictures.


Are you from the area? If they are from the area the likelihood of them leaving mid-project with all your money, is much less if you are pretty likely to see them at Wal-Mart Saturday morning, and their parents at church.

Do you have a website? If anyone is doing business in they must have a website, it's not necessary but it's a way of getting a feel for the company character and business investment. Its also a great way to keep in contact without demanding immediate time from both parties involved.

Do you have a process? This can be very important if there is a streamlined and organized way to do business, you are much less likely to have issues during and after the project.

Does it feel right? Ask yourself, (not the contractor). Gut feeling goes a long way, your intuition is almost always right. If you feel the contractor is sincere, he (or she) probably is.