How to Choose a General Contractor: 7 Questions to Ask First
Hiring a general contractor is one of the largest purchases most homeowners make outside of the house itself. A remodel that goes wrong isn't just expensive to fix — it can leave a project half-finished for months. These seven questions won't guarantee a perfect outcome, but they filter out the most common ways contractor relationships go bad.
1. Are they licensed for the work in your state?
Licensing requirements vary widely — some states license general contractors at the state level, others leave it to counties or cities, and some trades within a project (electrical, plumbing) may need their own licensed subcontractors even if the GC isn't required to hold those licenses personally. Ask directly, and verify the license number with your state's licensing board rather than taking a contractor's word for it — most boards have a free online lookup.
2. Do they carry both liability insurance and workers' comp?
Liability insurance covers damage to your property during the work. Workers' compensation covers an injury to a worker on your property. Without workers' comp, you can be held liable if someone is hurt on your job site. Ask for a certificate of insurance and confirm it's current — policies lapse.
3. Can they give you references from jobs similar in size and scope?
A contractor who mainly does small repairs may not be the right fit for a full kitchen gut, and vice versa. Ask for references from projects similar to yours, not just their best work ever. Call at least two, and ask specifically whether the project finished on the timeline and budget they were quoted.
4. What does the payment schedule look like?
A reasonable schedule ties payments to completed milestones, not a large deposit before work starts. Many states legally cap or regulate deposit amounts for home improvement contracts — check your state's consumer protection rules before agreeing to anything unusual.
5. Is the scope of work written down in detail?
"Remodel the kitchen" is not a scope of work. A real contract specifies materials, fixtures, brands where relevant, and what happens if something is discovered mid-project (like water damage behind a wall) that wasn't in the original bid. Vague contracts are where cost overruns hide.
6. How do they handle change orders?
Almost every project has at least one change order. Ask upfront how changes get priced and approved — in writing, before the work happens, not billed after the fact as a surprise.
7. Are you comparing at least three bids?
A single bid gives you nothing to compare against. Getting three lets you see whether the price, materials, and timeline are consistent — and a bid that's dramatically lower than the others is worth asking hard questions about, not just accepting as a good deal.