The Ultimate Contractor Vetting Checklist
Quick Answer
Never sign a contract without asking these 10 hard-hitting questions first. Protect your home from fly-by-night scammers and underinsured amateurs.
1. "Can I See Your Certificate of Insurance?"
This is the non-negotiable dealbreaker. A verbal "Yes, I'm insured" means absolutely nothing.
You must ask them to physically produce or email their Certificate of Insurance (COI). Specifically, you need to verify two things: General Liability (protects your home if they accidentally burn it down) and Workers' Compensation (protects you from being sued if a roofer falls off your roof and breaks their leg). If they do not have Workers' Comp, your personal homeowner's insurance policy is on the hook for their medical bills.
The Operational Checklist
Once you have established legal liability protection, move on to the logistical execution of the project. A professional will answer these instantly. A scammer will get defensive.
- 2. Are pulling the permits, or am I?A legitimate contractor will always pull the city permits under their own commercial license. If they ask you to pull a "homeowner permit," it means they are not legally registered with the city to do the work.
- 3. Do you use subcontractors or W-2 employees?Neither is inherently bad, but if they use 100% subcontractors, you need to ask if those subcontractors also carry their own Workers' Comp insurance.
- 4. Who is my daily point of contact?The charismatic salesman who sold you the job will likely disappear on day one. You need the direct cell phone number of the Project Manager who will actually be standing in your driveway.
- 5. How do you handle property protection?Ask exactly how they plan to protect your landscaping, AC unit, and driveway. Do they use plywood? Tarps? "Catch-All" netting systems?
- 6. How is the cleanup handled daily?You don't want to step on a rusty nail while walking the dog. Demand that a magnetic sweeper is run across the yard at the end of every single day, not just at the end of the project.
7. "Can You Provide 3 Local References?"
Do not accept photos of houses on an iPad. Ask for the names and phone numbers of three homeowners in Central Iowa who had similar work done in the last 12 months. Actually call them. Ask the references: "Did they show up on time? Did they stick to the budget? Did they clean up?"
The Final Test: The Payment Schedule
Question 8: "What is the payment schedule?"
If the answer is "50% down in cash right now," walk away. A standard, legitimate payment schedule is usually 10% to 25% down to order custom materials, 25% to 50% upon the commencement of work (dumpster arrives, crew is on site), and the final 25% to 50% only paid after the project is fully completed and you have walked the property to approve the work.