Tips and Tools

Here is a list of questions you might want to consider asking a prospective remodeler. Ask them all or select the ones you feel are most important to you.

1. Do they guarantee price and schedule?
2. What is their warranty like?
3. Are they properly and fully licensed to do what you want?
4. What type of general liability insurance do they carry? How does their insurance protect you, the homeowner?
5. Will they provide you with documentation of the licenses and insurance coverage?
6. Do they carry workers compensation? Do their subcontractors?
7. Do some of their subcontractors call themselves “independent contractors” when they really aren’t, to avoid workers compensation insurance?    
8. Do they handle all zoning variance issues, permits, inspections and licenses?
9. Do they provide design/build services or just construction?
10. What percentage of their work is subcontracted out?
11. Are their people trained and experienced in working in occupied homes and know what to do to protect your home?
12. Do they do the kind of work you are looking to have done?
13. How many projects like yours have they done?
14. How long have they been in business?
15. How long has the owner been in the industry and in what capacities?
16. What kind of Industry or Business Organizations do they belong to? The NYC Chamber of Commerce? Better Business Bureau?
17. Have they earned special industry certifications?
18. What are the qualifications of the architects and designers they use?
19. How do they assure that what they design can be built within your budget?
20. Do they provide full turnkey services? If so, what does that include?
21. How do they help you with product, color, materials, and other selections? Or do they help at all?
22. Can you see photos of their work?
23. Can they clearly describe the process they use for a smooth, successful project?
24. How will communications be handled at each stage of the project?
25. Do they have recent references?
26. Do they have references from homeowners for whom they worked 5-10 years ago?
27. In what specific ways do they stand behind their work? Do they offer a warranty?
28. What is the experience and training of their staff?
29. What percentage of the project manager’s time will be devoted to your project?
30. Will they use subcontractors? If so, how long have they used these specific subcontractors? Are they fully licensed and insured?
31. Do they build to meet code or do they build to exceed code? If so, in what ways?
32. How do they figure and use ‘allowances?’
33. How do they estimate their ‘allowances’ for things like tile, lights, appliances, etc.? Do they estimate them to allow you to buy low, medium, high, premium, or super-premium quality products and materials?

Questions to ask prospective remodelers.

Here is a list of questions you might want to consider asking a prospective remodeler’s past clients. Ask them all or select the ones you feel are most important to you.

1. What was the nature of the project the remodeler did for them?
2. When was it done?
3. Was it their first time remodeling?
4. If not, how did this project compare to others they were involved with?
5. Do they have any relationship to the remodeler other than as homeowner/remodeler?
6. Was the project completed on-time?
7. Was the project completed on-budget?
8. Did the field crew and any subcontractors keep the work area and your home as neat and clean as you thought they should have?
9. How would they rate their satisfaction with the remodeler? Their staff? Their subcontractors? The way they resolved problems?
10. How satisfied were they with the results?
11. How satisfied were they with the experience?
12. Was the final cost as promised? Were there any additional costs after the final contract price was established? Were they approved in advance or surprises? Did the homeowner feel they were fair?
13. Were there any surprises during the project? If so, what were they and how were they handled?
14. Was the craftsmanship as good as they represented it would be?
15. Was it easy to work with the crew, management, and accounting?
16. Was communicating with the field and office staff easy or difficult? If so, in what ways?
17. Were they kept informed about the schedule and what was going to happen when?
18. Would they use the remodeler again?
19. Would they recommend the remodeler to their best friends?