Are you a homeowner looking at home remodel contractor who specialize in whole house home remodeling, renovations, and additions? Whether you’re looking for someone to renovate your entire house or only update one room, you want to make sure you find the best company to suit your needs. The best way to find out if the contractor’s right for the job is by asking lots of questions during your first meeting with them. Here are some questions you should ask your prospective general contractor before handing over your keys to get started. 

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Question 1: How long have you been in business?

The first question to ask before hiring any general contractor is about their experience level. Home renovation takes knowledge and expertise in order to do things correctly on every individual element of your house. Make sure that they have plenty of years under their belt to tackle whatever projects you’d like them to get started on.

Question 2: What are your credentials?

The next step in the process is to find out about their qualifications and any certifications they have. Home renovation takes working with a vast array of materials, from piping and ducting to sheetrock and tile backsplashes. The more diverse skills and knowledge about them that your general contractor has, the better you can expect them to be at handling any type of home project for you. 

Question 3: Do you have references I can call?

You’ve probably already got some referrals from friends or family members if they’ve gone through this whole process before. If not, then finding someone who’s had work done that you like is always a good idea as well. You can find out the quality of work done on homes similar to yours. In this case, the internet will be your best friend, but it’s important to double-check that the reviews are from verified clients. We recommend looking at third-party reviews where the entries are vetted by another person aside from the contractor so you get the best, unbiased reviews possible. A few good resources for this are Google reviews, Houzz.com, and GuildQuality. It’s important to be in the know about any potential contractors!

Question 4: What type of permits do you need to get?

You should know that a home remodel contractor will have to apply for construction permits in order to complete any home renovation project you want done. Make sure to ask if they handle this themselves or if it’s up to you, which is something you’ll need to consider when choosing the right contractor for your needs.

Question 5: Can I see a list of past projects?

Homes are not alike, and neither are renovations. This makes it especially important for a general contractor who specializes in residential renovation work since they’re going to be more knowledgeable and well-versed in all the different types of remodeling projects out there. Home additions sometimes require specific skill sets that other contractors may not have. The more projects they’ve completed, the better you can expect their work to be on your home.

Question 6: What is your project management style?

The final step for hiring a home remodel contractor is to find out what their project management style is like. Home renovations need someone who’s going to keep you updated every step of the way with how things are going and what can be expected next. The last thing you want to have to do on top of the stress of a remodel is having to manage the workers in your torn-up house yourself! Save yourself some trouble and go with someone whose management and communication styles pair well with your own. Homeowners also want a general contractor who knows how to stay within budget and stick to a timeline, since they’ve likely already worked with this type of situation before.

We Can Help!

Gordon Reese Design Build can help you with any questions you may have. We’ll do all we can to meet your needs. It’s easy to book a call sales team, don’t hesitate to call us at (925) 885-3770. We’d appreciate the opportunity to transform your home into the dream space you deserve–let’s get started!