Working with a contractor to take on some type of residential construction or renovation project can be an intimidating process. If you’ve never before hired a contractor, you might not be clear on how the process works or what is involved to get from idea to finished product.
We’d like to help make things a little easier by providing you with three great questions below to ask your prospective contractors. The answers you receive on these questions will go a long way toward helping you pick a winner.
#1 – Who Will Be Doing the Work?
This is a great place to start your discussion. When someone from a contracting company comes to your property to look at the project and offer a quote, you can’t assume that person is the same one who will be doing the work or leading the team. So, always ask about who is going to perform the work and what experience they have in the business. Knowing who you can expect to show up on the day of the work will cut down not only on the risk of working with a contractor, but it should bring your stress level down, as well.
#2 – Are You Licensed and Insured?
We could have just as easily placed this question in the number one spot, as it’s another one that you don’t want to skip. It’s critical to hire a contractor who holds a valid license because that license offers some assurance that they are up to the challenge of completing your project successfully. Don’t consider moving forward with any contractor that does not hold a license in good standing.
Insurance is just as important as licensing, and this is another point that should be seen as a prerequisite before you hire anyone. The insurance policy that the contractor has in place will serve to protect you financially if the job goes wrong for some reason. Even if you are only having basic work performed and don’t expect any issues to come up along the way, there is no reason to take a risk on this point. Only put your trust in contractors who care enough about your interests to have the right insurance policy in place.
#3 – How Long Will the Project Take?
You always want to ask about the timeline of the project just to get an idea of what you can expect once work begins. It’s important to note, however, that you don’t want to automatically hire the contractor offering you the quickest turnaround. Speed is not always a good thing, as you would probably prefer to have the work completed properly rather than in a hurry. Also, if a contractor is giving you a surprisingly short timeline that doesn’t line up with some of the other estimates you have received, that may be an indication that they are inexperienced or don’t understand the scope of the work.
The team at Rodriguez General Contracting would be happy to answer the questions above, or any other questions you may have for us. Give us a call today at (623) 313-5914 and we’ll explain exactly what we can bring to the residential project you are planning at your Phoenix-area property.
