Choosing a Contractor

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry ("NARI"), a not-for-profit, trade association that has served the remodeling industry for more than 50 years, has prepared the following set of interview questions to assist you in interviewing and qualifying a renovation contractor.

We hope these questions will help you to establish your contractor's qualifications and reputation, and ultimately help you to find the "right" company for your project.

All of us at Nashville Structures, Inc. encourage you to interview and to follow up on references and credentials of contractors under consideration. The success of your renovation project will be largely determined by choosing the right contractor.

Q: How long have you been in business?

Look for a company with an established business history in your community. Surviving in any business in today's competitive marketplace is a difficult task. Most successful contractors are proud of their history in the industry.

Q: Do you have employees, or do you hire subcontractors?

You should know what parts of your project will be handled by staff and which will be contracted out to independent subcontractors.

Q: Do you use a project supervisor to oversee the project?
Q: If so, how much of his or her time will be spent on the project?
Q: May I have a copy of your worker's compensation and liability insurance certificates?

The state of Tennessee requires that general contractors carry worker's compensation and liability insurance for all their employees, and for all subcontractors who do not carry their own insurance. A company with no employees may exempt themselves from needing worker's compensation insurance but not from needing liability insurance.

Q: How do you ensure that all subcontractors carry the proper insurance?

If worker's compensation or liability insurance is not handled properly, you, as the client, will be held liable.

Q: May I have a copy of your contractor's license?

Check the expiration date to ensure that the license is current.

Q: How do you warrant your work?

Look for the length of the contractor's warranty. Look for systems that the contractor has in place to respond to warranty calls.

Q: Will you clean up the job site on a daily basis?
Q: What is your approach to a project of this scope?

This will give you an idea of how the contractor works and what to expect during the project. Listen carefully to the answer. This is one of the big indicators of the company's work ethic. You should look for the following:

• How well the scope will be defined prior to job start
• How much of the project will be under a fixed price vs. an estimate
• How changes to the scope and timeframe will be handled

Q: May I have a list of references for projects you have completed which are similar to mine?

The contractor should be able to supply you with a minimum of three references, with whom you can actually speak. As a follow up to this question, ask how long ago the project was completed and if the contractor can arrange a visit to see the finished job. To protect yourself, always check the contractor's references. This is an essential stage of qualifying the right company for your project. Here are just a few questions to ask previous clients:

• Could you communicate well with the contractor?
• Were you pleased with the quality of work? (This is a tough question, since everyone defines "quality" differently. It is much better to ask to see the completed project to determine the level of quality for yourself.)
• Were you satisfied with the contractor's business practices?
• Did the crew show up on time?
• Were you comfortable with the subcontractors on your project?
• Was the job completed on schedule?
• Did the contractor fulfill his or her contract?
• Did the contractor stay in touch with you throughout the project?
• Were the final details finished in a timely manner?
• Would you use the contractor again without hesitation? (This is probably the most important question you can ask.)

Q: May I have a list of references from suppliers or subcontractors?

You want to verify sound business practices when you contact these references.

Q: What percentage of your business is repeat or referral?

This will give you a good indication about the company's customer satisfaction. According to research conducted by NARI, most remodeling businesses attribute over 50% of their annual volume to client referrals.

Q: How many projects like mine have you completed?

This will help you determine the contractor's familiarity with your type of project.

Q: Do you have design services available?

If you are considering a project beyond repair or replacement of an existing structure, you will need design services. If the contractor does not have design-build capabilities, you should consider hiring an architect.

Q: Will we need a permit for this project?

Failure to obtain the necessary permits or to arrange obligatory inspections is illegal. A qualified renovation contractor will be conscious of the permitting process, and ensure that all permits have been obtained before initiating any work.

Q: Do I feel comfortable with and trust the person I am about to hire?

After you have interviewed the contractor, ask yourself this question. It is the most important one, and it is the bottom line.

If you would like to read additional information about interviewing contractors or selecting a reliable remodeling contractor, you can visit the NARI web site at www.nari.org (link will open in a new browser window).