Needless to say, hiring a contractor can feel like a huge leap of faith. You're trusting someone with your home, your money, and your sanity. Most people know to ask the basics: "How much will it cost?" and "When can you start?" But what about the questions that don't immediately come to mind? These are the ones that could save you a lot of stress and ensure you're hiring the right person for the job.
Sure, there are a lot of tips, but most of the questions you see online are the ones you already know to ask (like the examples above). So before you sign on that dotted line, here are some questions you might not have thought about but definitely should ask.
What’s Your Communication Style?
This might seem like a minor detail, but seriously, it’s not. So, just imagine trying to reach your contractor with an urgent question, only to be met with radio silence for days. The concept alone sounds really frustrating, right? It’s best to keep in mind that everyone has a different communication style—some people prefer phone calls, while others might stick to texts or emails.
So ideally, you might want to make sure your contractor's communication preferences align with yours. Ask them how they prefer to communicate and how often you can expect updates.But overall, a contractor who is good at staying in touch is likely to keep you informed throughout the project, which can save you a lot of worry.
How Do You Handle Unexpected Problems?
Even the best-planned projects can run into unexpected issues. Obviously, it’s far from ideal, but sometimes, things just don’t go according to plan as they should. For example, maybe there’s hidden water damage, or the home insulation behind your walls isn’t up to code. The key is how your contractor handles these surprises. Do they have a process for dealing with unforeseen problems? Will they pause work and consult you before moving forward, or do they prefer to make executive decisions?
So overall, you’ll want a contractor who doesn’t just bulldoze ahead but takes the time to explain the situation, provide options, and help you make an informed decision. You need to have peace of mind, and this is a question that a lot of people usually don’t ask.
How Do You Ensure Quality Control?
You’re hiring a contractor because you want the job done right, but how do they ensure quality control? This is a question that often goes unasked because there’s this assumption that everything will be just fine. So, does the contractor regularly inspect the work being done? How do they handle any substandard work that might occur? You want to make sure there’s a system in place to catch and fix mistakes before they become bigger issues.
