What to consider before hiring a contractor

When it comes to home improvement, the most important piece of the puzzle is choosing the right contractor.

One of the most important questions to ask is what were some of the reasons why one of your jobs didn't turn out well? Whether the customer wasn't satisfied with the work and refused to pay, the contractor left and did not complete the job, or damage was done to the house, these are all problems that you want to know upfront before hiring a contractor.

Secondly, it's important to get an idea of how much you'll be spending on the job. HouseLogic recommends asking for an itemized bid cost because you'll see the exact breakdown of expenses, which you can compare with other contractors. They also suggest knowing if you'll be receiving an estimate or a fixed price for the job. With an estimate you run the chance of getting a bigger bill than you expected. But with a fixed price you know exactly how much you'll be paying.

Thirdly, ask yourself how much work do I need done? When you speak to a contractor, ask about their work limitations. What can and can't they do? If you have a long list of home repairs, perhaps you're better off going with a company that can handle all of your small and big jobs.

Finally, if you had a bad experience with a previous contractor and found yourself managing the crew, you probably felt frustrated. So this time around ask yourself: Will I have to manage this contractor?  Will I myself have to be the foreman for this job? Talk to previous customers about how their job turned out. Was there a lot of micromanaging and overseeing on their end? Or, did they feel comfortable leaving the house knowing the contractor would complete the job the right way?

Photo provided by 5 Essential Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor | HouseLogic.