The best way to be sure that your home improvement or remodeling project is going to be a success is to ask lots of questions. If you’re not sure what to ask, we have compiled a list below of some common questions we have found helpful when working with clients who are hiring a home remodeling contractor:
What is your experience level?
As you are searching for a contractor, it’s important to ask them about their experience level.
- How long have you been in business?
- How many projects like ours have you done?
- How many employees do you have?
- What are your qualifications and certifications? Do they include any awards or recognitions from other clients who were pleased with their work on the project(s) in question?
How long have you been in business?
- How long have you been in business?
- How long have you worked for the company?
- How many years of experience do you have in this business? (If it’s not too personal, ask about their education and training.)
- What percentage of projects go smoothly and what percentage require some kind of rework or additional work? The answer will give you an idea of whether this contractor is more prone to problems than others.
Do you offer house repairs, or just home improvement or remodeling work?
The term “home improvement” refers to the process of making changes to your house that add value and increase its comfort. Examples include installing new windows, repainting rooms, or adding a deck.
Home remodeling is different from home improvements in that it involves more extensive work on the structure of your home – things like removing walls or completely rebuilding them (rather than just painting them).
Are your employees trained and certified to do the work we need done on our house?
Another question to ask is whether or not the contractor’s employees are trained and certified. If they are, what certifications do they have?
The reason it matters if a contractor’s workers are trained and certified is that this can affect both your cost of hiring them as well as the quality of work they produce. For example, if you hire someone who does not have the proper training for the job that needs to be done in your home, there is no guarantee that he will be able to do it correctly – or at all! In addition to potentially costing more money than necessary (because you’ll need another contractor at some point), this could lead to further problems down the road when things start falling apart in areas where repairs were needed but never made correctly in the first place because no one knew how!
Is there a warranty on your workmanship?
A warranty is a promise by the contractor that their work will stand up to the test of time. It’s important for you to ask about warranties when interviewing contractors because they protect your investment in your home.
Warrants should be at least 1 year and preferably 3 years.
Do you use subcontractors to complete work, or do all the work yourself?
While some contractors use subcontractors to keep their costs down, others do so because they’re more specialized in a certain area. For example, an electrician might be able to install your new lighting fixtures faster than your general Kansas City home remodeling contractor could.
If you’re not sure whether or not a contractor uses subcontractors, ask about this during the interview process. You can also ask for references from previous clients who used the same type of subcontractor as you want to be used on your project (e.g., if you want an interior designer, ask for references from other clients who’ve worked with interior designers).
What types of projects have you completed recently that are similar to ours?
The next question you should ask is what types of projects have they completed recently that are similar to yours? This will give you an idea of their experience level and how long they have been in business.
Finally, it’s important to ask if the contractor has any customer references available for review. If so, make sure to contact those customers before signing on with any contractor so you can get a better idea of what kind of quality workmanship or service they provide.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that there are many types of home improvement contractors out there, so it’s important to ask questions and do your research before hiring one. You want to make sure that they have experience doing what you need to do on your house or business property so that the job gets done right!
