Home > Helpful Hints > What to Ask Your Contractor
This is your home, to most people it’s the biggest financial investment in their life. You want to make sure that your home is in good hands. Here are some questions you should ask your contractor before hiring:
Obtaining the proper license in the state or city where the work will be completed can help ensure that the contractor has been trained in the proper practices and regulations specific to his or her specialty. In Massachusetts it is required by law that a painting company has an HIC – Home Improvement Contractors License and a remodeling company has a CSL – General Contractors License.
Carrying adequate general liability insurance helps ensure that if any property damage occurs on the site, the contractor is liable.
If the contractor does not carry workers compensation insurance, you, the homeowner, may be liable for anything that happens on your property.
A warranty can cover everything from price to workmanship to product warranties and more. A warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind it.
The contractor’s working process should be explained to you from beginning to end. This will help ensure both parties are staying on track to the agreed contract and that you will understand how the contractor’s company operates.
A contractor should be willing to provide you with references from previous clients that you can contact to ask how their projects went.
Depending on the scope of the work, the contractor should pull all required permits to ensure that all safety and building code regulations and inspections are met for the proper installation.
It is always better to go with a company that has been in business for at least five years. This will ensure that they are not a fly-by-night contractor who will leave town before the job is even finished.
It is important that the company you hire does not use subcontractors because this can lead to unskilled and unprofessional painters working on your home. If you receive a rather low painting estimate from a company, most times the reason is because they have inexperienced workers on the job.
