Top 5 Things to Double Check Before your Contractor Begins Work

Your home improvement contractor isn’t the only one that should be preparing for the work on your home! As a homeowner, you should also double check a few things to help ensure that the project runs smoothly and accurately.

1. Make sure to ask your contractor for a Certificate of Insurance with both Workers Compensation and General Liability. These can be mailed or emailed to you easily from a contractor’s insurance provider. This insures that you are protected from financial obligation should injury or damages occur on your property.

2. Ask to see the permit (when required) when the crew arrives or call your local city or village to ensure that a permit has been acquired for your job. Often times this isn’t done until just before work begins so don’t call too early. In addition, not all municipalities require permits for all types of remodeling – each have different rules for permitting.

3. Be sure to ask your contractor if there are any preparations that you should make to your home before work begins. We generally ask our customers to remove any particularly valuable belongings from their walls just in case they rattle during roofing or siding replacement. You may also want to take steps to protect any vulnerable landscaping, although a good contractor will take care of that for you.

4. If a dumpster is being used, you’ll need to make sure that your car is out of your garage or confirm which side of the driveway the dumpster will be placed. You don’t want your car to be trapped in the garage!

5. If you have any questions about the scope of work, type of materials, or any other concerns, now is the time to ask! Give your contractor a ring and just make sure that all those last minute details or changes are fresh in both of your heads. Remember- the key to a successful home improvement project is strong communication between the contractor and homeowner.

One final word of advice- please don’t hesitate to talk with your crew foreman while he’s working on your home or call your contractor directly about any concerns you may have. We encourage you to monitor and address concerns as the job is in progress or immediately upon completion – it is much more efficient than sending the crew back at a later date. Take advantage of that final walk through – it’s your home, and you have every right to be picky about the quality of work.