Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Contractor

When you’re renting out residential real estate, you need access to a reliable and professional list of preferred vendors and even more importantly - contractors. You’ll be making renovations for tenants, you’ll be doing repairs and rehabs during tenant turnovers, and you’ll want to improve and modernize your properties from time to time. 

All of this work will require a contractor you can count on. 

Prices have risen since the last time you needed a lot of work done. Demand is higher too, which means a lot of the contractors we work with are busier than ever. 

As you’re hiring a contractor, make sure you have some questions ready so you know who you’re working with. 

Here’s how we find high quality, competitively priced contractors as property managers in Southwest Washington State.

Ask About Business Values and Practices

You’ll need to ask a potential contractor how their business operations are handled. 

Ask these questions when you meet to interview contractors and get to know them better: 

• How many years have you been in your field?
• How do you screen your subcontractors? Will they be the same every day or are different people brought in throughout the project?
• Do you offer warranties?
• What kind of insurance do you carry?
• How do you dispose of garbage and waste?
• What are your general working hours?
• How do you handle it when work falls behind? 

You need a general sense of how your contractor works. Your own routine will be impacted by whether they’re on site every day or a few days a week. You want to know how they handle permits, disputes, and disruptions.

Ask About Responding to Southwest Washington Property Needs

Once you get an idea of who they are and how they work, get into some questions that are specific to your own project and your own property. Find out how they will handle the project you need them to complete. Some of these questions should include:

• Have you done this type of work before? Don’t be afraid to ask for references or a portfolio of examples. 
• Will you itemize my quote? This can help you understand how much each aspect of the job will cost. You can also ask if the quote is an estimate or a fixed price. 
• What is the realistic timeline for this project? You may have an idea of when you’d like the work to be complete, but that will depend on the contractor’s current workload and ability to coordinate subcontractors. You can also ask how many other projects they’re currently working on. 
• Can you apply for and obtain the appropriate permits? You’ll often need city and building permits to do the work you want at your rental property. The process can be complex, and having a contractor who is familiar with how to do it will be beneficial.