Contractor Hiring Guides
Clear, practical answers for every step, from the first bid to the final payment.
Where Should You Start When Hiring a Contractor?
Start by writing down the scope and asking your building department which permits apply. Then get two or three written bids for the same work, check each license and insurance certificate, and sign a contract with a payment schedule that stays behind the work.
Construction Cost Calculator
A rough budget by project and size.
Payment Schedule
Deposit, milestones and retainage.
Hiring Checklist
What to do before, during and after the job.
How to Check a Contractor License
The five-minute check before you sign: the number, the name, the status, the class and what to do where no state license exists.
How to Hire a Contractor
Scope, permits, bids, license checks, contract and payments, in the order you actually do them.
General Contractor vs Specialty Contractor
When to hire a general contractor, when to go direct to a trade and what the markup pays for.
What a Contractor Contract Should Include
Twelve items for a home construction contract, and the clauses worth reading twice.
How Much Deposit Should You Pay a Contractor?
What is reasonable, where the law sets a limit and how to keep payments behind the work.
Cost to Build a House
A plain budget method for a new house, with planning ranges and the costs that people forget.
Do You Need a Building Permit?
What usually needs a permit, who should pull it and what can go wrong without one.
Contractor Scams and Warning Signs
Door-knockers, big deposits, leftover materials and other signs to walk away.
Mechanics Liens and Lien Waivers
How unpaid subcontractors can claim against your home, and the simple paperwork that protects you.
Licensed, Bonded and Insured
Three words contractors use in ads, what each one covers and how to check them.
Questions to Ask Each Trade
- Questions to Ask General Contractors
- Questions to Ask Public-Work Contractors
- Questions to Ask Roofing Contractors
- Questions to Ask Electricians
- Questions to Ask Plumbers
- Questions to Ask HVAC Contractors
- Questions to Ask Concrete & Masonry
- Questions to Ask Carpenters & Framers
- Questions to Ask Painters & Drywall
- Questions to Ask Flooring & Tile
- Questions to Ask Excavation & Demolition
- Questions to Ask Landscaping & Fencing
- Questions to Ask Windows, Siding & Insulation