Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Building or Remodeling Contractor

As you prepare for a new home building or remodeling job, it is important that you find a reliable, high-quality contractor to partner with for the process. You should make it a point to interview several potential candidates for your job to get as much information as you can about their services and experience.

Here are just a few examples of some of the questions you should ask home construction companies in Poulsbo, WA before you decide to move forward with their services.

Are you licensed?

You should only work with contractors who are licensed for the work you’d be hiring them to complete. In fact, in many states, licensure is required for contractors to be able to offer their services. Ask for the contractor’s license number so you can do some background research and find out if there have been any claims or judgments against the company, and to see if the owner has previously operated under any other company names.

Can I see your insurance policy?

You should always ask for a copy of your potential contractor’s insurance policy. Not only will this help you ensure they actually do have insurance, but it will also give you some insight into the kind of insurance they have and how much coverage it provides. It’s not just enough for a contractor to have insurance—it also needs to have sufficient coverage to keep you comfortable with their services. The insurance should cover your property, as well as worker’s compensation in the event someone gets injured while working on your property.

Can you give me a quote?

It is important to know what your project will cost. It takes a fair amount of time to put together pricing for a project, so the first step one should take before getting a cost for a project is to select the builder you want. Do your homework by checking references with past customers and current suppliers. Hire first a builder you trust and performs the quality you desire. Then proceed with getting a bid.

Creating a detailed quote is a time-consuming process, taking many hours to put together. A builder offering free quotes often rushes their process and misses incredibly important details for the project because there is no guarantee they will be hired. For this reason, many builders will minimize the hours they devote to the “quote” they offer for free. Paying for the services a builder is providing, is showing value to the builder by compensating them for their time in the event a customer doesn’t hire them. It also provides a client with the ability to make an informed decision based on an actual fixed cost of their project, not an estimate.

At Coyote Hollow our pricing methodology starts with a Pre-Construction Service Agreement. A nominal fee is charged for the time provided to receive a detailed quote. After an initial site visit and consultation with our General Contractor, the process starts with a Professional Services Agreement and a retainer upon signing of the “PSA.” The customer is then provided with construction services leading to a Fixed-Sum Contract. The PSA fee collected during this pre-construction phase is credited to the project’s first billing after entering into a Construction Agreement with Coyote Hollow Construction and the work has commenced. If a customer chooses to not retain Coyote Hollow Construction, no credit is provided for the PSA.

Have you done a lot of work on projects like mine?

It’s not enough for a contractor to have worked on a project like yours before—they must also perform that kind of work regularly if you are to be truly comfortable and confident in the work they’re going to do. Ideally you will work with a contractor who specializes in the kind of job you’re looking for them to take on. Some contractors might focus specifically on kitchens and bathrooms, while others handle more general work such as plaster and drywall. It’s important to make sure any contractor you choose to work with is not only capable of taking on your job, but also has a significant amount of experience in that type of work.

For more information about what you should ask home construction companies in Poulsbo, WA before deciding to work with them, contact the remodeling team at Coyote Hollow Construction today. We look forward to discussing your project!

Categorised in: Home Building