Ask them all or select the ones
you feel are most important to you. .
-
Do they
provide design/build services or just construction?
-
Do they
regularly do projects in your area? Other areas? If
so, what other areas?
-
What types of
projects do they specialize in?
-
Do they have
a philosophy about their work?
-
What types of
clients do they find they work best with?
-
Do they do
the kind of work you are looking to have done?
-
How many
projects like yours have they done?
-
How long have
they been in business?
-
How long has
the owner been in the industry and in what capacities?
-
Do they
belong to industry organizations such as the ASID, the
National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the
National Association of Home Builders, the Remodelers
Council, Remodelers Advantage Roundtables etc.?
-
How is the
architectural design handled?
-
What are the
qualifications of their architects and designers?
-
How do they
assure that what they design can be built within your
budget?
-
Do they
provide full turnkey services? If so, what does that
include?
-
How do they
help you with product, color, materials and other
selections? Or do they help at all?
-
Do they
handle all variance issues, permits and licenses?
-
Are they
licensed and fully insured? What about their
subcontractors? Will they provide you documentation of
the licenses and coverage?
-
How does
their insurance protect you, the homeowner?
-
Can you see
photos of their work?
-
Can they
describe the process they use for a smooth successful
project?
-
How will
communications be handled at each stage of the
project?
-
Do they have
recent references?
-
Do they have
references from homeowners for whom they worked 5-10
years ago?
-
In what
specific ways do they stand behind their work?
-
What is the
experience of the production manager, lead carpenters
and other tradespersons who will work on your project?
-
What types of
training and certifications does their staff have?
-
What
percentage of the project manager’s time will be
devoted to your project?
-
Will senior
management be involved in your project and, if so, in
what way?
-
Will they use
subcontractors? And if so, how long have they used
these specific subcontractors?
-
Do they build
to meet code or do they build to exceed code? And if
so, in what ways?
-
What steps
do they take to keep your home and belongings safe and
clean during construction?
-
How do they
handle site security?
-
How do they
handle pets?
-
Will they
provide you with a detailed schedule of the project?
-
How are
change orders and their costs handled?
-
How do they
figure and use “allowances”?
-
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, super
premium quality products and materials?
-
What are
they looking for in a client?
-
What will
they expect from you at each stage of the process?