5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor

1 "Can I see a detailed, itemized bid?"

This is the single most important question you can ask. An itemized bid breaks down the total cost into individual line items — materials, labor, permits, fixtures, subcontractors, and so on. Without it, you're comparing apples to mystery fruit.

What to look for

• Separate labor and materials — you should see what the work costs versus what the stuff costs
• Specific product names or specs — "quartz countertop, Caesarstone 30mm" is good; "countertop" alone is not
• Allowances clearly labeled — if the contractor is using allowances (placeholder dollar amounts for items you haven't selected yet), those should be clearly marked with the amount and what it covers
• Permits and fees included — if permits are required for your project, the bid should say who pulls them and what they cost

Red flags

• A single lump-sum number with no breakdown
• "Labor and materials: $45,000" with nothing else
• Resistance to providing a detailed bid ("that's not how we do it")

If a contractor can't (or won't) itemize their bid, you can't compare it fairly to other bids. You also have no basis for negotiation. A detailed bid is the foundation of every other conversation you'll have during the project.

2 "What's your payment schedule?"

How and when you pay matters almost as much as how much you pay. A contractor's payment schedule tells you how they manage cash flow — and whether you'll have leverage if something goes wrong.

What's normal

• Milestone-based payments — you pay set amounts when specific stages are completed (e.g., after demo, after rough-in, after cabinets installed, at final walkthrough)
• 10-30% deposit — enough for the contractor to order materials and reserve your spot on their schedule
• Final payment held until walkthrough — typically 10-20% of the total, released only after you've signed off on the completed work

What's not normal

• 50% or more upfront before any work begins
• Full payment before project completion
• No clear connection between payments and work completed
• Cash-only demands with no receipts

A typical payment schedule for a $60,000 kitchen remodel might look like this: $6,000 deposit (10%), $18,000 after demo and rough-in (30%), $18,000 after cabinets and countertops (30%), $18,000 at final walkthrough (30%). The exact percentages vary, but the principle is the same — you pay for work as it's completed, not before.

3 "How do you handle change orders?"

Every renovation has surprises. You'll change your mind about tile. They'll open a wall and find old wiring. A backordered fixture will need a substitute. Change orders are how these mid-project changes get documented, priced, and approved.

The question isn't whether you'll have change orders — you will. The question is whether they'll be handled professionally or used as a profit center.

What a good process looks like

• Written change order — every change gets documented with the new scope, cost adjustment, and timeline impact
• Signed before work begins — neither party should proceed on a verbal agreement
• Transparent pricing — the change order should show material costs and labor hours, not just a new lump sum
• Timeline updates — if the change adds a week, you should know that upfront

What to watch for

• "We'll figure it out as we go" — this means no process and no documentation
• Markups above 20-25% on change orders (some contractors use changes as profit opportunities)
• No written agreement requirement — if the contractor is comfortable with verbal change orders, your costs will creep up invisibly

Ask the contractor to walk you through a recent change order from another project. How they describe the process tells you whether they have one.

4 "Can I talk to 3 recent clients?"

This is the question contractors expect but homeowners rarely follow through on. Don't just ask for references — actually call them.

Key word: recent. A reference from five years ago is useless. You want clients from the last 6-12 months, ideally with projects similar in scope and budget to yours.

What to ask references

• "Was the final price close to the original bid?" — this tells you whether the contractor bids accurately or lowballs
• "Did the project finish on time?" — and if not, by how much and why
• "How did they handle problems?" — every project has issues; you want to know how they were resolved
• "Would you hire them again?" — the simplest and most telling question
• "Was there anything you wish you'd known before starting?" — this often surfaces the real story

Red flags in references

• Contractor can't provide 3 recent references
• References are from projects more than 2 years old
• All references are for very small jobs (if your project is large)
• References seem rehearsed or vague

A confident contractor will hand over references without hesitation. If they stall, make excuses, or offer to "send them later" and never do — that tells you what you need to know.

5 "What happens if the project goes over budget?"

This is the question most homeowners are afraid to ask because it feels pessimistic. Ask it anyway. How a contractor answers reveals their planning discipline and their integrity.

What a good answer sounds like

• "We build in a contingency" — experienced contractors know that 10-15% contingency is standard for renovations. Some include it in their bid; others recommend you set it aside separately. Either way, they should acknowledge that budgets don't always hold perfectly.
• "Overruns require your approval" — you should never be surprised by an invoice. Any cost that exceeds the bid should be discussed, documented as a change order, and approved before the work happens.
• "We've been within budget on X of our last Y projects" — contractors who track this metric take budget accuracy seriously.

What a bad answer sounds like

• "That won't happen" — it will. A contractor who claims otherwise is either inexperienced or dishonest.
• "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" — this means no contingency planning and no clear process for cost overruns.
• Deflection or irritation — a professional should be able to discuss budget risk calmly and clearly.

The goal isn't to find a contractor who promises no overruns — that's impossible in renovation. The goal is to find one who has a plan for when they happen. For a deeper look at what actually causes kitchen remodel budgets to blow up, see our guide on how to avoid going over budget on a kitchen remodel.