Top Questions to Ask a Contractor
From Cocalico Plumbing and Heating

Making the decision to have your bathroom remodeled is the easy part. Finding the right contract is the challenge.

There are plenty of qualified plumbing, heating and AC, and ventilation contractors out there. But it’s important to take steps to protect yourself before your project even starts. You know what they say about an ounce of prevention…

To get your project started on the right foot, Cocalico has prepared a list of questions you should ask contractors during your interview process.

Here’s what we suggest:

1. First and foremost, you should be completely comfortable with the contractor you choose. Listen to your instincts. Even if the contractor presents you with everything you’ve asked for and more, if there’s a little voice inside that says “proceed with caution” then do so. Ask yourself “Do I feel comfortable with and trust the company I am about to hire?”
2. What percentage of your contractor's business is repeat or referral business? This will indicate, to some degree, the company’s customer satisfaction levels.
3. How long has your contractor been in business? A contractor’s ability to survive economic ups and downs, and an increasingly competitive market can provide you with insight into their qualifications and satisfaction levels.
4. Ask for a list of references for recent projects, including those that are similar to yours. Ask for names, telephone numbers and addresses and then call to follow up. Consider asking for references from suppliers, financial institutions and subcontractors to gain insight into business practices.
5. Ask your contractor: What is your suggested approach to this project? This provides an idea of how the contractor works and may even identify potential problems, upcharges and pitfalls. Listen carefully to the answer and don’t be afraid to bounce one contractor’s idea off another that you are interviewing.
6. Ask more questions: What is your proposed timeframe? When can you start and what is the projected end date? What factors contribute to our ability to stay on deadline? What should I expect from your crew in terms of start and finish times each day? What is your policy for changing project deadlines and daily schedules? How much advanced notice do you provide should a change become necessary?
7. Ask how many other projects your contractor is working on. This goes directly to his ability to stay on your project’s deadline.
8. Ask whether your contractor will use subcontractors. If he is using a subcontractor, why? Who is responsible for supervising their work quality and ethic?
9. Find out whether bathroom remodeling is a specialty for your contractor. What percentage of his business is similar in scope to your project? This will help indicate the firm’s familiarity with your desired project and thus their ability to meet expectations.
10. Find out what happens if you change your mind about a portion of the project once it’s underway. How will your contractor handle re-estimating the cost and the impact on the overall schedule? There are many things to consider when selecting a contract to handle a remodeling job. It’s especially important that you are prepared and well informed up front when undertaking any changes to your heating, cooling and plumbing systems. You can help make sure that the process goes smoothly and you are 100% satisfied with the results by interviewing multiple contractors – and selecting the one that is best prepared to earn your trust.

Call Cocalico at 717.738.0760 (Lancaster County) or 717.949.2719 (Lebanon County) to schedule an appointment.