Questions to ask before hiring a Commercial Contractor
1. Are you licensed, bonded, and insured?
This is a non-negotiable.
Look for:
Valid state or local license.
General Liability Insurance.
Worker’s Compensation.
Performance Bonds (if required).
2. Can you provide references for past commercial projects?
Questions to ask:
Was the project complete on time?
Did you contract stay within budget?
How did they handle unexpected issues?
3. What is your completion timeline?
Get a realistic (not optimistic) estimate.
Questions to ask:
How long will preconstruction take?
What could delay the project?
How do you keep projects on schedule?
4. How do you handle budgeting and change orders?
You need transparency on costs and clear process for handling unexpected changes.
Questions to ask:
How do you keep track of the project budget?
Will all change orders be documented in writing?
Can you provide a detailed, itemized estimate?
Tips to avoid:
No license or insurance
vague or no written contract
Full upfront payment
5. Who will be doing the work?
Some contractors outsource to subcontractors.
Questions to ask:
Will you personally be doing the work, or will it be subcontracted?
What experience, certifications, or specialties do you have?
Who will be the day to day contract or site supervisor?
Tips to Avoid:
Vague or “Don’t worry about it” answers.
No onsite supervisor.
Outsourcing everything without consulting you.
6. Verbal Estimates
Get written estimates from multiple contractors.
Questions to ask:
Who will be responsible for pulling the necessary permits?
What happens if a permit is denied or an inspection is delayed?
Are you familiar with local building codes and requirements?
Tips to Avoid:
Asking you to pull your own permits.
No mentions of inspections in the plan.
Avoiding accountability.
7. Poor Communication
Choose someone who communicates clearly.
Questions to ask:
How often will i get contacted with updates?
What’s your response for questions or issues?
Will you notify me of any delays, changes, an unexpected issues?
Tips to Avoid:
No set communication plan.
Vague answering or dodging answers all together.
Inconsistent stories, disrespect, changes in tone.
Final thoughts:
Hiring the right commercial contractor can be hard due to lack of knowledge in that area. It’s better to know the right questions to ask and the red flags too, just in case. Without this knowledge you may come into building project issues or even legal problems. This blog will help you understand more about commercial contactors.