If you’re bringing in a contractor to do some work on your home, be it fixing your foundation or putting an addition on, there are a few things you should do in order to find the best person for the job. And while it can be helpful to get referrals and references from people who have worked with contractors before, there’s nothing that can substitute for your own gut instincts and how well that person will be able to give you what you want with your project.

To assist you in finding this person, here are three questions to ask any contractor before doing work on your home.

Ask For Their License And Insurance

The very first thing you should ask a prospective contractor about is their license and insurance situation. This will help you ensure that you’re hiring a business that is legitimate.

Depending on where you live and the rules and laws in your area, the requirements for having a contracting license will vary. But as long as you know that someone has this, you can rest assured that they’ve done what’s necessary to legally be able to work as a contractor. And as for insurance, you shouldn’t hire anyone who doesn’t have enough insurance to be a smart liability risk for you, as you could be held responsible for accidents on your own property if the contractor you’re working with isn’t properly insured.

Find Out How Many Other Projects They’re Working On

One of the most important things to get set in stone from the get-go of working with a contractor is the timeline. Keeping to your timeline ensures that you are able to start using your space as soon as you need it and that you don’t go over budget.

To see just how likely it will be that a contractor is able to stick to your timeline, you should always ask them how many other projects they’re working on at the same time as your project is going on. When attention and resources have to be split between multiple projects, the chances of your timeline getting extended increases.

Plan To Get Everything In Writing

As you and your prospective contractors start hammering out the details of your project, you’ll likely get everything you’ve discussed in writing so that each side knows what’s expected of them and how things like compensation and payment will work. However, as things change with the progress of your project, you’ll want to ensure that everything you’re adding or changing gets put in writing as well. Since this should be a priority, you’ll want to ask the contractors about this before you plan to start working together.

If you’re going to be hiring a contractor to do some work on your home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know what questions to ask in order to find the right contractor for you.