20
Aug

3 Types of Questions to Ask When Hiring a Contractor

There are many excellent contractors in the greater Philadelphia area who provide high-quality work with integrity and timeliness at a fair price. But finding them can be a challenge. You’ll want to interview several contractors before you decide whom to trust with your home project.

Asking friends who have had work done is a great place to start looking, but keep in mind that if you have a different type of project, the contractor may not be right for you. You can also find contractors online on referral sites. Look for positive reviews with specific details, so you can be more confident that it is a genuine review. Keep in mind that one negative review could reflect less on the company than on the person giving the review. But it is something to keep in mind and perhaps ask the contractor about if you choose to interview that company.

Types of Questions to Ask Contractors

There are a great many considerations in choosing your contractors. Here are some of the most important questions to ask, if you are going to be your own general contractor and project manager. 

Ask about company stability and integrity
  • Are you licensed, bonded, and insured? Be sure to get the license number and proof of insurance.
  • Have you ever declared bankruptcy or operated the company under a different name?
  • Have you ever been sued? This is not a deal-breaker. We know from experience that there are a lot of different kinds of people out there. But if the answer is yes, you should look into the details carefully.
  • Will you obtain all necessary building permits? The answer should be yes.
  • Are you willing to include a lien waiver or subcontractor lien waiver clause in the contract? The answer should be yes.
  • May I see a draft of the contract before I decide? The answer should be yes.
Ask about contractor expertise and availability
  • How many people work for you, and how long have you been running a crew?
  • How many projects like mine have you done in the past year?
  • How do you communicate with your customers? How often?
  • Can you give me a list of references to contact who live in my area, including people who have had the same work done?
  • How many projects do you have going on right now and what’s your expected timeline to begin and complete my project?
Ask specifics about your job
  • Will you be hiring subcontractors on this project? This is a critical question, because if the contractor does not present himself as a general contractor, he may not go through the thorough vetting process that we general contractors do to make sure our subcontractors are of the highest quality. Additionally, this contractor may not stand behind his subcontractors.
  • What does a typical workday look like? When will you be working on my project, and how will the work interrupt/disrupt normal daily life?
  • How long do you expect the project to take?
  • Do you anticipate any challenges with this project? What possible problems could cause delays or cost increases, and how can they be avoided?
  • How do you maintain neatness and how do you clean up your job site?
  • How much will this project cost and what is your typical payment schedule?

The Benefits of Hiring a General Contractor 

In short, we do it all for you.

We have long-term relationships with our subcontractors. We have copies of their licenses and insurance, and we guarantee satisfaction for the work that any of our employees or subcontractors perform for you.

We know what permits are needed for each kind of work we do. This changes from one municipality to another, but we handle all that for you, taking that hassle off your shoulders. 

When you hire different contractors for different aspects of your project, you have to juggle contacting them and waiting for them to respond in order to coordinate with another contractor. This produces delays and frustration. When you hire M&K as your General Contractor, you only need one phone number for any questions you may have about your project – ours. 

We plan and schedule our subcontractors in order to keep the project moving. If one subcontractor is not available to do the work, we have other equally qualified experts to give the job to. This knowledge ensures that the subcontractors make your job a priority because they know they may lose the work. 

We maintain the highest standards of integrity and quality, and we strive to disrupt your family or business life as little as possible, keeping the worksite clean and safe for our own people and yours. 

Hiring an experienced general contractor means your project is expertly coordinated from the design stage to the finishing touch. Call M&K Renovations today at (610)353-2895 to give you the peace of mind that your dream project will be completed to your absolute satisfaction and delight.