About the contractor

  1. Are you licensed or registered with the building department that will issue my permits?
  2. Can I see your certificate of general liability insurance, and do you carry workers' compensation?
  3. Which trades are your own employees and which are subcontractors?
  4. Who will supervise the job, and how often will that person be on site?
  5. Can you give references from rebuilds after water, fire or hail damage, not only remodels?
  6. Are your workers certified for lead-safe work if my house was built before 1978?

About the scope, money and schedule

  1. Is your estimate written to match the insurance estimate line by line?
  2. What is not included, and will you put those exclusions in writing?
  3. How is the payment schedule tied to completed stages of work?
  4. How are supplements prepared and who submits them?
  5. How are change orders written, priced and approved?
  6. What happens to the schedule while a supplement is pending?
  7. Which selections do I need to make, and by what date?
  8. What is the cancellation policy, and what do I owe if I cancel?

Documents the contract should come with

  • A written scope or estimate attached to and referenced in the contract
  • A payment schedule tied to milestones, not calendar dates alone
  • A change order form or description of the change order procedure
  • Proof of insurance naming the correct business entity
  • A statement of who is responsible for permits
  • Lien waiver terms for each payment
  • A description of how the final walkthrough and punch list will work

Reading the answers

Good answers are specific. A contractor who says permits will be pulled by the general contractor through a named jurisdiction, that a project lead visits daily during rough work, and that change orders are emailed as numbered forms is describing a real system. Vague answers such as "that all gets handled" or "don't worry about the insurance" are not necessarily a red flag on their own, but they leave you without anything to hold onto later.

Be cautious with anyone who asks you to sign over the whole insurance payment up front, offers to cover your deductible, or pushes you to sign the same day. Colorado law addresses some of these practices, particularly in roofing, and the Colorado Division of Insurance has consumer information on contractor and claim issues. When in doubt, take the contract home and read it with someone you trust.

General information for Littleton, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.