Questions To Ask Your Contractor Before Starting A Project

Remodeling or putting a new roof on your home is a big financial, time-consuming and emotional investment! It can cause great joy once completed but adds stress during the project. Once you’ve chosen your contractor and prepare to sign a contract, ask these questions before getting started.

1. What is your timeline? Knowing when a job will start and how long it is expected to take is important. You must also anticipate delays from time to time due to weather, delay in getting materials, problems that are exposed after work begins and more. Having an estimated timeline and schedule will provide a sense of the big picture and a benchmark against which you can gauge progress.
2. Will you be on the job every day? This answer can vary widely depending on whether you speak to a sales person or the owner of the company. The real questions to ask should be Who is in charge and How can I reach you if something comes up and I need to talk to you?
3. How will you care for my property? If you’re having a new roof installed on your home, you’ll want to know how well they are going to care for the shrubs and plants around your home. If you’re remodeling your basement, you will want to know how if they will move items to another room, cover what can’t be moved and in general, contain dust. Know what is expected of you and what you can expect from the workers in and around your home.
4. How will you stay in touch to communicate progress or delays? Is there a lead contractor on the project whose job it is to keep you up-to-date? Some companies will email you with a progress report once a day to once a week. Others informally communicate with you at the end of each work day. Whatever the form of communication, be sure that both parties follow it.

Home projects needn’t be overly stressful. Having a plan and sticking to it makes every project a little easier to manage for all involved.