Be Prepared with Questions

More Issues to Question

3. What are your strengths?
This is a broader question than "Are you reliable?" or "Are you honest?" It challenges the contractor to tell you what's most important to him or her, and it challenges you to determine what's most important to you. Before you talk to a contractor, make a list of priorities. It could be finishing a job on time, being treated with respect, doing precise work, staying within the budget, getting creative input on colors and materials, or keeping the job site clean. Of course, all are important, but which matter most to you?

4. Do you do competitive bidding?
As remodeling companies grow and prosper, many phase out competitive bidding. Superior companies are rarely the cheapest, so why do bids for homeowners intent on the lowest price? In working with these companies, you develop the project together, in conjunction with a designer, then get a "negotiated bid," which lets you remove or change features in the bid if you want a lower price.

5. Can you recommend a designer?
You may come to the contractor with plans in hand. But if you want to hire the contractor first and then seek out design services, hire a designer or architect whom the contractor has worked with in the past. They will have a better level of communication and trust than if you try to match up professionals who have never met. The contractor may even have a designer on staff.

6. What is your time frame to start?
If you want to get started on your kitchen remodel within a few weeks—in time for Thanksgiving, for instance—and the contractor can't start for a year, you can immediately exclude that contractor.