What should you look for when choosing a residential general contractor? 

1. Are they licensed?  

2. Do they have liability insurance and workman’s compensation? 

3. Are they in good financial standing with vendors and banks?   

4. Do they have references?      

5. How many projects do they have and can they do the work in your time frame?

6. Will they obtain all the necessary permits and handle the paperwork?

7. Will the contractor be on site most of the time?

8. Will they provide you with a detailed, written proposal of the work to be done with costs and timelines?

9. Do they have 24-hour emergency service? 
 

We highly recommend you do your homework before selecting a general contractor, you should ask for evidence or samples of the above points on the check list. Ask for clean up details and payment schedules in writing, a contractor should never receive a payment of more than 10% (0r $1000) of the project value before they start work for you. You should also check to see if they are members of local industry associations, as this demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and accountability.