How to Choose a Remodeler: 12 Questions Every Client Should Ask

Most homeowners interview three contractors before choosing one. Most of them ask the wrong questions. They ask 'how much?' before they've established whether the contractor is even capable of doing the work. They ask about timeline before they understand the contractor's actual capacity. They ask about portfolio before they understand the company's financial stability.

Here are the twelve questions we wish every client asked — including the questions that would disqualify some of our competitors.

1. Are you a W-2 employer or do you 1099 your crew? If the entire crew is 1099 contractors, you have no warranty leverage when something goes wrong. We employ our carpenters as W-2 employees with benefits.

2. What's your active project count right now? A solo contractor running 8 active projects is over-extended. We cap at 6 active projects per project manager.

3. May I see your certificate of insurance directly from your insurer? Not a copy from the contractor. Have it sent directly. This single step eliminates 30% of low-end contractors.

4. May I have references from your last three completed projects — not your favorites? Anyone can produce three glowing references. Ask for the most recent three regardless.

5. How do you handle change orders? The right answer is 'in writing, priced and signed before any additional work begins.' Anything else is a budget grenade.

6. What's your typical contingency line item? A serious estimate has a documented contingency (usually 5-10%). An estimate without one is hiding the contingency in inflated line items.

7. Will you provide a written daily schedule? We do — for every project, day one. This single document prevents 80% of project disputes.

8. Who will be on-site every day? You should be told a name and phone number. If your point of contact is the salesperson who closed you, run.

9. What's your warranty period — and is it written? Two years on workmanship is the floor. One year is a red flag.

10. How do you handle final payment? Final payment should be due AFTER your walkthrough is complete and the punch list is closed — not before.

11. What happens if you find unexpected conditions? A mature contractor has a process. They walk you through options. They don't simply hand you a change order to sign under duress.

12. Why should I hire you? This is the question we love most. Listen carefully — does the answer focus on themselves, or on what they will do for you?

— James Neth, Founder