The Capital Region has excellent contractors and a lot of storm-chasers. These ten questions sort them out in about fifteen minutes.
The insurance and licensing questions
Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their carrier — not a PDF from their phone. Confirm both general liability and workers' compensation. If a worker gets hurt on your property and there's no comp coverage, that becomes your problem.
Ask who pulls the permit. The answer should always be the contractor, in their name.
The money questions
A reasonable deposit is 10-33%, with progress payments tied to milestones. Large cash-only deposits are the most common warning sign in this industry.
Ask whether the price is fixed or time-and-materials, and what triggers a change order.
The crew and schedule questions
Who is physically on site every day? Are they employees or subs? Who is your point of contact when something goes wrong at 4 PM on a Friday?
Ask for the start date and the realistic finish date in writing.
The proof questions
Ask for three recent local references and at least one job similar to yours. Look at Google reviews with an eye for how the company responds to criticism, not just the star count.
Red flags
Door-knocking after a storm. Pressure to sign today. No written scope. A price dramatically below every other bid. Refusal to pull permits. Any one of these is enough to walk.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I always take the lowest bid?
- No. Compare scopes line by line — the low bid usually excludes something the others included.
- Is a written contract required?
- In New York, home improvement contracts over $500 should be in writing. Always get one.
