What You Should Know Before You Hire A Contractor

Excerpted from “What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor”,
Contractors State License Board, June 2004.

• Seek out recommendations. When speaking to the contractor's customers ask such questions as:
  • Did the contractor keep to the schedule and the contract terms?
  • Were you pleased with the work and the way it was done?
  • Did the contractor listen to you when you had a problem, and seem concerned about resolving it?
  • Did the contractor willingly make any necessary corrections?
• Ask how long the company has been in business, and find out if there are any complaints about the firm.
• Don't be fooled or pressured by a smooth-talking salesperson.
• Do not automatically accept the lowest bid. Beware of any bid substantially lower... you may be headed for a dispute if you accept an abnormally low bid.
  • Don't forget the old adage, “If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is!”