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10 Questions
to ask your Paint Contractor
If you are considering hiring a
contractor to work on a new
house or with plans for your
budget home renovation, you’ll
want to ask several questions
before signing a contract. For
one thing, you need to know what
to expect. You’ll also want to
interview several contractors in
order to get the best work at
the lowest price. Make sure you
are satisfied with the answers
to the following list of
questions before making a
commitment.
1. Do
you hold a contractor’s license? If
your locality requires that
contractors be licensed, then
ask to see the contractor’s
license. A licensed contractor
must meet certain requirements
to obtain the license, generally
providing you with the assurance
that he or she is capable of
completing the work.
2. Do
you carry liability and workers’
compensation insurance? Make
sure the contractor has
liability insurance and carries
workers’ compensation insurance
on employees. The last thing you
need is a worker getting injured
while working on your property
and wanting your homeowner’s
insurance to pay for those
injuries.
3. Will
you obtain and pay for all
necessary permits? As
a general courtesy, most
contractors will take
responsibility for obtaining the
necessary permits and will
include the cost in their bids.
4. Will
you give me a detailed written
estimate? Get
everything in writing, including
all of the minor details. You
don’t want to accept a verbal
bid and then have the contractor
come in with his crew and say,
“That’s not what I said.”
5. Will
you perform the actual work? A
lot of contractors subcontract
their work. They may farm out
plumbing, electricity, or some
other major aspect of the job.
You’ll want to find out who the
subcontractors are who will be
working on your house plans.
This way you can check their
reputations with the Better
Business Bureau.
6. Will
you get lien waivers from
suppliers and subcontractors? Make
sure your contractor is willing
to provide you with lien waivers
from his or her subcontractors
and suppliers. These waivers
will prove that everyone was
paid via the money you paid the
contractor.
7. Will
you sign a written contract? The
estimate is not a contract and
cannot be viewed as such. Get a
written contract from the
contractor that details
everything in the estimate. It
should include the work to be
performed, payment terms, an
estimated date of completion,
and instructions for
incorporating necessary changes.
8. How
will you handle necessary
changes? Seldom
does a homeowner get through a
home renovation process without
changing the original plans. If
changes are to be made, make
sure they are put in writing and
include the price of the
changes.
9. What
is the payment schedule? The
contractor may ask for a down
payment, which should not exceed
50 percent of the total cost of
the project. Do not pay a
contractor in full at the start
of the project. If the work will
take months, arrange to pay the
contractor over the course of
the project.
10. Can
you provide references? Ask
the contractor to provide you
with the names and phone numbers
of former clients. Be sure to
call them. If possible, drive by
and look at some of the
contractor’s completed work.
These basic questions will help
you avoid the situation where
work is completed but does not
satisfy your expectations, or if
there are any disputes about
payment or what work was agreed
upon to be completed.
Unfortunately there are many
unethical and unscrupulous
construction organizations that
can and will take advantage of
unsuspecting homeowners. You
can avoid these situations by
performing your due diligence as
you evaluate potential service
providers.
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