Questions to Ask a Builder
Questions to ask a builder before hiring one for an extension, a remodel or a repair, whether the quote comes from a one-person home contractor or a general contractor with a crew of subs. They cover what the quote includes, how unknowns behind the walls are priced, deposits and stage payments, who is actually on site, dust and access, neighbours, snagging and what guarantee you get.
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The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Have you done this exact kind of job before, and can I see one?
Why ask it
A builder who does kitchens well is not automatically the person to take a wall out. Ask for an address you can look at and an owner you can speak to, and pay attention to whether the example they offer actually matches your job or is merely nearby.
Who will be here doing the work, and how often will you be on site yourself?
Why ask it
On small jobs the person quoting is often not the person working. If they are running the job from a van between sites, ask how many hours a week they will physically be at your house, because that number decides how much gets checked.
How many other jobs will you have running at the same time as mine?
Why ask it
Overlapping jobs are the main cause of a site sitting empty for a week. Builders who admit to two or three and explain how they sequence them are being straight with you; one who claims yours will be the only job usually means they will disappear when the next call comes.
Is this quote fixed, and what would make it change?
Why ask it
You want the difference between a fixed price and an estimate stated out loud. Then ask for the specific triggers, since a builder who can name three things that would move the price has thought about your job rather than applied a rate.
What is included in this price, and what is not?
Why ask it
Common exclusions are waste removal, scaffolding, making good, decorating, floor finishes, plumbing connections and permit fees. Ask them to list the exclusions themselves. If the quote is one line and one number, it will be renegotiated later at a moment when you have no leverage.
How have you priced the parts you cannot see yet?
Why ask it
Behind plaster, under floors and inside walls is where budgets break. The good answer is a stated allowance with a written process for what happens when reality differs. The bad answer is silence, which means the conversation happens once the floor is up.
Do you want a deposit, and what is it for?
Why ask it
A deposit that covers specific ordered materials is normal; a large one described as securing the booking is a risk. Ask what the money buys, ask for a receipt when it is spent, and be wary of any request for cash.
How do payments work as the job progresses?
Why ask it
Stage payments tied to visible milestones protect both of you. If payments run ahead of the work you are funding the builder's other jobs, and if the work runs ahead of payment they will stop. Agree the stages in writing before anyone starts.
Who is responsible for permits, drawings and inspections?
Why ask it
Structural work, drainage and anything affecting fire escape usually need approval, and the rules vary by area. Establish who applies, who pays the fee, and who meets the inspector, because a job that stalls waiting for approval stalls with your house open.
Will you build from an architect's or designer's plans, or do you design the job yourself?
Why ask it
Some remodeling contractors draw the job in house and others price from plans somebody else produced. Either works, but find out who pays for the fix when the plans and the house turn out to disagree.
What are your working hours, and which days will nobody be here?
Why ask it
A start time of seven affects your neighbours; a habit of leaving at two affects your schedule. Ask which days they intend to be elsewhere so that an empty site is expected rather than alarming.
Can we stay in the house while this goes on, and which weeks will be worst?
Why ask it
Builders underestimate this because they leave at the end of the day. Ask specifically about days without water, without a kitchen, without heating, and about the noisiest week. Then decide about moving out with real information.
Where will materials, waste and the workers' toilet go?
Why ask it
This sounds trivial and causes more friction than anything else on a domestic job. Ask about skip permits if it goes on the road, where deliveries will be stored if it rains, and whether they expect to use your bathroom.
How will you protect the rest of the house from dust and traffic?
Why ask it
Look for specifics: sheeting on doorways, floor protection on the route in and out, extraction when cutting, and who cleans at the end of each day. Fine dust travels through a whole house, and a builder who has no answer here has never had to live in one.
Where the new work meets the old house, how closely can you match what is already there?
Why ask it
Matching is the hard part of remodeling, because old brick, floorboards and trim profiles are often no longer made. A good remodeler tells you before hiring where a match is possible, where the seam will show, and what they would do there instead.
How will you handle access, my neighbours, and anything on a shared wall?
Why ask it
Scaffolding over a boundary, a shared drain or work against a party wall can all require the neighbour's agreement, and it is better obtained before the first delivery. Ask what they need from you and what they will do themselves.
If I change my mind partway through, how does that work and what does it cost?
Why ask it
You want a written note of price and time before the change happens, not a verbal yes and a bill at the end. Ask what their markup is and whether reductions are credited at the same rate.
Who do I call when something looks wrong, and how quickly will you answer?
Why ask it
Name the person and the expectation, whether that is a call back the same day or a site visit within two. Most disputes on small builds start as a question that went unanswered for a week.
What happens if you find asbestos, damp, or wiring that is not up to standard?
Why ask it
These require different trades and sometimes licensed removal, so the job pauses. Ask whether they stop and quote separately, and who is qualified to assess it. A builder who says they will just deal with it is the one to worry about.
How do you decide the job is finished, and how long do snags take to close out?
Why ask it
Agree that you walk the job together and write a list. Ask how long items on that list usually take, since the gap between practically finished and actually finished is where most of the resentment on domestic projects lives.
What guarantee do you give, and is any of it insurance-backed?
Why ask it
A guarantee from a sole trader is only as good as the business remaining in existence, which is why insurance-backed warranties and trade scheme membership matter for larger work. Ask what is covered, for how long, and get it in writing rather than as a verbal assurance.
What is your insurance, and can I see the certificate?
Why ask it
Public liability covers damage to your property and injury to others; employer liability covers their workers. Ask for the documents and check the dates rather than the logo, and confirm the cover is adequate for the value of your house, not just the job.
Based on what you have seen today, what is most likely to make this run over?
Why ask it
Asked at the end of a site visit, this gets a candid answer because it invites expertise rather than commitment. Whatever they name, a long-lead item, an unknown behind a wall, an approval, is the thing to plan around and to ask about again in week two.
Are you licensed in this jurisdiction, and can I have the license number?
Why ask it
Licensing rules vary by state and county, and some trades are separately licensed from general contracting. A number you can look up yourself tells you the status, the expiry and whether there is a complaint history attached.
Who exactly will I be contracting with?
Why ask it
The name on the sign and the name on the contract are often different entities. If the contracting company was registered recently and has no assets, a warranty from it is worth very little, so ask how long that specific entity has been trading.
Can you show me a project you finished three or more years ago?
Why ask it
Anything looks good at handover. Older work is where you see whether trim joints opened, grout cracked or the addition roof still ties in cleanly, and a builder with nothing older to show you may not have been in business long.
Can I speak to three clients from the last two years, including one whose job went wrong?
Why ask it
Any builder can produce two delighted customers. Asking for one difficult job is the real question, and a builder who cannot name a single problem project either has not built much or is not going to be straight with you.
Tell me about a job that went wrong and what you changed afterwards.
Why ask it
The answers separate builders sharply. Some name a real failure and a specific process change, some blame a client or a sub, and some claim it has never happened, which in construction is not a credible answer.
Are the trades your own crew, long-standing subs, or bid out for each job?
Why ask it
Builders who use the same electrician and framer for years get better work and better scheduling priority. Ones who rebid every trade each job get lower prices and less loyalty when a callback is needed.
Will you run the whole job as the general contractor, or will I be hiring some of the trades myself?
Why ask it
With one firm holding the contract for every trade, there is a single person to call when the electrician and the plumber blame each other. If you bring in your own kitchen fitter or tiler, settle who schedules them and who answers for the point where their work meets the builder's.
Can I see the estimate broken out by trade rather than as one number?
Why ask it
A line-item breakdown lets you compare bids honestly and see where a suspiciously low price is hiding, usually in allowances or excluded scope. A builder who will only give you a lump sum is asking you to trust arithmetic you cannot check.
Which items are allowances rather than firm prices, and what number did you use for each?
Why ask it
Tile, lighting, plumbing fixtures, appliances and countertops are the usual allowance categories, and a low allowance makes a bid look cheap while guaranteeing an overage. Ask what a client with your taste typically spends against each one.
What contingency should I hold for this job, and for what specifically?
Why ask it
A builder who says none is either very confident or has not opened a wall like yours before. A specific answer, such as fifteen percent because the framing behind the shower is likely wet, is worth more than a general percentage.
How will I know the subcontractors and suppliers have been paid?
Why ask it
If the builder is paid and the plumber is not, the plumber can place a lien on your property. Ask for signed lien waivers from subcontractors and suppliers with each payment, and treat reluctance here as a serious warning.
When can you actually start, and what else are you running at the same time?
Why ask it
A builder who can start immediately in a busy market may have just lost a job or be short on work. One booked six months out is usually a better sign, as long as they will commit the start date in writing.
What is the completion date in the contract, and what happens if you pass it?
Why ask it
A date with no consequence is a hope. Ask which delays extend it automatically, whether there is a liquidated damages clause, and how much notice you get if the date moves, since you may be paying rent or a construction loan meanwhile.
Can I visit the site, and are there times you'd rather I didn't?
Why ask it
Reasonable builders welcome visits and will ask you to route questions through them rather than instructing trades directly. Someone who resists visits altogether is usually managing their schedule, not your safety.
How will you record decisions and progress, and what will I receive each week?
Why ask it
A short weekly note with photographs and upcoming decisions prevents most disputes. If the answer is that they will tell you when there is something to say, expect to spend the build chasing information.
What documentation do I get at handover?
Why ask it
As-built drawings, permit sign-offs, appliance manuals, paint colors, sub contact details and warranty paperwork are easy to collect during the job and nearly impossible to reassemble later.
How do we handle it if we disagree, before it becomes a legal problem?
Why ask it
Look for a stated escalation path: site meeting, written notice, then mediation or arbitration. Check whether the contract requires you to give notice to cure before withholding payment, since skipping that step usually weakens your position.
Getting a builder hired without regretting it
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Comparing quotes properly
Give every builder the same written scope
Write down what you want in a page, including finishes and who supplies what, and hand the same page to each. Otherwise you are comparing three different jobs and the cheapest is usually the one that left something out.
Get three quotes and distrust the outlier in both directions
A quote well below the others has usually missed part of the work or intends to make it up in extras. One well above may be pricing risk honestly, so ask why it is higher before you discard it.
Check the business, not just the person
Look up how long the company has traded, whether it is registered, and whether the name on the quote matches the name on the bank details. Ask for two recent customers and one from a couple of years ago, so you hear about the work after it settled.
Read the payment terms before the price
The structure of payments tells you more about risk than the total. Stage payments after completed work, a small deposit for ordered materials, and a retention until snags are cleared is the arrangement to aim for.
While the work is happening
- Keep decisions in writing, even ones agreed over a cup of tea, with the date.
- Photograph the work before anything is closed up, especially pipework and cabling.
- Do not add items verbally. Every change gets a price and a line on the list.
- Raise problems the day you see them. A tile line that is wrong is cheap to fix on Tuesday and expensive on Friday.
- Keep one folder with the quote, the schedule, the change list and every invoice.
Warning signs at the quoting stage
A price given without measuring anything
A builder who quotes from the doorway in ten minutes has priced a category, not your job. Expect them to measure, look at the drainage, and ask you questions.
Cash only, or pressure to decide today
Discounts for cash usually mean no paperwork, which means no recourse. Time pressure at the quoting stage is a sales technique, not a scheduling reality.
No written quote, only a total
Without a breakdown you cannot compare, verify or dispute anything. Ask for the quote itemised at least by stage, and treat refusal as an answer.
Unwillingness to give you a customer to call
Every working builder has satisfied customers within a few miles. If none can be named, either the work is new or the customers would not help.