While renovating your old home or building a new one, you must make many critical and complex decisions. These decisions will include choosing the contractor who best fits your job requirements. The success of this exercise will depend, to a great extent, on you having a good team working for you; therefore, choosing the best contractor is the right place to begin.

There are questions you will need to ask your contractor to determine if they are the right fit for your work. Here are some of those questions.

How Many Years Have You Worked in the Industry?

Although experience does not determine the quality of service, someone who has handled many clients is likely to have a reputation consistent with their work quality. Such a contractor is expected to understand your unique taste and preference. For example, if you want French doors on the interior of your home, you should be able to acquire the best French doors interior.

How Many Clients Have You Worked for Over the Past Three Years?

It would help if you had a contractor who has recently worked in your area and is acquainted with the region’s permitting process and construction code. The contractor must not be new in the region and must be aware of the regulations concerning your project.

Do You Have a License?

This is the most important of all questions you may have to ask your contractor. Licensing is a crucial aspect in major industries, including the construction industry.

Ensure your contractor is licensed, and contact the licensing agency to ensure the license is in good order and current.

What Risks Does Your Insurance Cover?

General liability insurance covers the costs of any damages that may occur in your home while the construction is ongoing. If a worker accidentally breaks a water pipe and causes flooding in your home or damages some of your home and garden décors, the cost of repairing that damage should fall on their insurance company.

The contractor should also carry insurance covering medical costs for injuries incurred during the construction process. If a worker falls and gets injured while working in your home, their medical bill should be cleared by the insurance company.

Which Professional Organizations Do You Belong To?

Membership in a professional organization may not be a requirement of the law, but it shows your contractor’s commitment to the industry and their work. Such organizations are essential because they offer research materials, networking, and extra training to their members to keep them updated with the practice.

How Long Is This Project Likely to Take?

This is the right question to ask if you have a deadline. Ask if the timeline provided is fixed. Ask the contractor how often they complete their projects within the estimated time and how many jobs they are currently working. This would help you determine the possibility of your project ending on time.

Sometimes unexpected problems arise along the way and disrupt the original timeline. If there is suspicion of such an occurrence, the contractor should be willing to enter another contract stating the cost and time of handling such problems.

Do You Have References?

The general contractor should be willing to provide a list of references. It is the only way to ensure the contractor’s credibility. Talk to their former clients, get their general remarks regarding the contractor and learn if the contractor communicated well along the way and if the contractor kept their schedule.

Discuss the contractor’s professionalism, timeliness, budgeting, and the final product. Ask the clients if they would hire the general contractor the second time if the need arose.

Who Will Supervise My Project on a Daily Basis?

The general contractor may or may not stop by the site every day to check on the progress of the work. If they cannot be there every day, ask them how often they will stop by to ensure the project is on the right course. Ask if there will be someone tracking the progress of your work daily.

The above questions will help you find a well-experienced contractor, who understands your area’s construction code, has a proven track record, and can provide quality services.