Hiring Local Services
12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home-Service Company
Quick answer
Ask about licensing, insurance, written estimates, minimum job size, cancellation policy, and whether they welcome a family member on the call. Anything less should be a pass.
The 12 questions
1) Are you licensed for this work? 2) Are you insured? 3) Do you provide written estimates? 4) What's your minimum job size? 5) Do you take small jobs? 6) Do you charge for a diagnostic visit? 7) Do you accept a family member on the call? 8) How do you handle change orders? 9) What are your payment terms? 10) Do you subcontract? 11) What's your warranty? 12) Can you share two recent references?
Red flags to walk away from
Refusal to put estimates in writing, high-pressure sales tactics, requests for large up-front payments, or unwillingness to share references.
This article provides general information for Denver-area readers. For medical, legal, tax, insurance, or financial decisions, please consult a licensed professional.