Hiring the wrong contractor can turn a home improvement project into months of stress, cost overruns, and unfinished work. Before you sign anything, here are five questions every Punta Gorda or Charlotte County homeowner should ask.
1. Are you licensed for the specific trades my project needs?
Florida requires separate licenses for general contracting, plumbing, and electrical work. If your project touches all three, ask whether the contractor holds all of them directly or subcontracts them out. A contractor who holds the licenses in-house (rather than subbing everything) usually means better coordination and accountability.
2. Will you personally be on-site, or will I only see a project manager?
Some companies hand your project off entirely to subcontractors and rarely show up themselves. Ask directly who will actually be managing day-to-day work.
3. How do you handle permits and inspections?
Permitting shouldn’t be an afterthought or an extra fee you have to ask about. A reputable contractor builds it into the process and handles scheduling inspections without you having to chase it down.
4. What’s a realistic timeline, and what could change it?
Be wary of timelines that sound too good to be true. Ask what could extend the schedule (material lead times, permit delays, discovering issues behind existing walls) so you know what to expect going in.
5. What does your warranty actually cover?
Ask specifically what’s covered, for how long, and who to call if something needs attention after the project wraps.
Want to see how we answer these for your project? Give us a call for a free estimate.