According to a nationwide Angie's List poll:
- Nearly 50 percent of respondents say they typically ask for a list of references when hiring a home improvement contractor; nearly 20 percent said they never ask for a list of names.
- 44 percent said they follow up and contact those references; 13 percent do not.
- 36 percent never visit the projects of recent clients.
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If you really want to get the scoop on whether or not a contractor is the right fit for your home improvement project, make it a point to contact three recent customers and ask the following 9 questions,
Was the contractor hired to provide a large-scale remodeling or improvement project, or a smaller one? What was your overall goal for the project?
Did the contractor provide adequate written detail in the contract including important details such as who will be performing the work, what types of materials will be used, when the project will be started an finished, and how change orders should be handled?
Did the references' project require a permit from a local building department or code enforcement agency? Did the contractor have any trouble obtaining it? Beyond asking a contractor's references, make sure you know the answers to these key questions before you hire: Does the contractor carry the proper license, if required, as well as liability and workman's compensation insurance? Are they bonded? Does your project require a permit? Can the contractor obtain one?
How often did contractor or crew come to the home? What hours did they work? Did they clean up the work site at the end of each day?
If the contractor wasn't there, was there a crew leader or an employee to answer your questions or make decisions? Were they pleasant and easy to work with?
If the contractor used subcontractors, were you happy with them? Were you provided a lien waiver in the contract to guarantee you wouldn't be responsible for payments to subcontractors or material suppliers?
Did the contractor stay in touch with you throughout the project or if any changes needed to be made? Did he or she keep you apprised of the status of the project on a regular basis?
If not, what types of problems or delays affected the overall cost? If the project came in under budget, did you have to sacrifice anything?
If not, why? Did they fulfill the obligations of the contract? Did they complete the work on time? If not, why? Did the work pass code inspection?
No one answer will say more about a contractor's work then the customer's willingness to hire them again. If they aren't willing to hire the contractor again, ask why not? Was there something particular about the contractor, their crew or the project that they didn't like?