The contractor you hire matters more than almost any material choice you'll make. A good one manages the chaos so you don't have to; a bad one becomes the chaos. The best time to tell the difference is before you sign, and the way to do it is to ask. Here are fifteen questions worth asking any general contractor — and a note on what a good answer sounds like.
Licensing, insurance, and the basics
- •Are you licensed and insured for this type of work, and can I see the certificates?
- •Are your subcontractors insured too, and do you verify it before they start?
- •Who pulls the permits — you or me?
- •Have you done projects like mine nearby, and can I see them?
How the project actually runs
- •Who is my point of contact day to day?
- •Who's actually on site — your crew or subcontractors?
- •How do you schedule the trades, and what happens when something slips?
- •How will you keep me updated, and how often?
- •How do you keep the site clean and secure during the work?
Money and the contract
Thinking about a project like this?
We'll walk your space and put a clear written estimate in your hands.
- •How do you structure the payment schedule?
- •What does the written estimate include — and what could change it?
- •How do you handle change orders and surprises found mid-project?
- •Is there a written contract with a clear scope I can review before signing?
After the work
- •What's your warranty, and what does it cover?
- •What happens if I'm not happy with part of the finished work?
What a good answer sounds like
You're not just listening for the right words — you're listening for straight, specific answers without hedging. A contractor worth hiring will tell you who's on your job, put the scope in writing, verify their subs' insurance, and give you one person to call. If the answers are vague or the paperwork is thin, that tells you something too. Trust how it feels to talk to them, because you'll be doing a lot of it.
At J&M, one of us — Josh or Kevin — is your point of contact from the first walkthrough to the last, and everything goes in writing. Ask us all fifteen. We'd rather you hire us with your eyes open.