Where to find contractors
Referrals from neighbors and local suppliers beat random online leads.
- Ask neighbors with similar projects
- Check state licensing board
- Avoid door-to-door storm chasers
Interview questions
Ask who manages the site daily and how change orders work.
- Years in business and project mix
- Subcontractor vetting process
- Typical payment schedule
License, insurance, and the person who will be on site
A license number you can look up, a certificate of insurance sent from the agency (not a PDF from a phone), and the name of the lead carpenter are the hiring basics. A charming estimator who never returns after the deposit is a common complaint. Ask who runs the daily job.
- Verify the license is for the trade and the town, not a neighbor’s cousin
- Workers’ comp matters if anyone can fall off your stairs
- A street address and a local permit history beat a P.O. box and a new LLC
Small projects still need a paper trail
A $6k bath refresh is where handshake jobs go wrong. Even a one-week job needs a one-page scope, a start date, and a final payment after you walk the room. Text-message extras are still extras — write them down.
- Photograph the room the morning work starts
- Agree on work hours and bathroom access if you have kids at home
- Do not buy all fixtures the night before because a text said “whatever you like”