Contractor Interview Checklist

Printable homeowner checklist before you hire any home-service professional. TrustZe is a matching broker — we introduce screened contractors; you hire and pay them directly.

Use across Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Denver, San Diego, Red Bank NJ, Warren/Metro Detroit MI, and other markets we serve. Verify licenses with the board that applies to your city and trade.

1. Credentials

License number recorded and verified with the relevant state/local board
General liability certificate reviewed (coverage amount noted)
Workers’ compensation proof reviewed (or written exemption explanation)
Business name on insurance matches the proposal

2. Scope understanding

Problem restated in the contractor’s own words
Repair vs replace options explained with tradeoffs
Alternative approaches discussed (not only the most expensive path)
Access, HOA, and permit constraints acknowledged

3. Written estimate details

Materials/equipment listed with brand or allowance
Labor scope includes removal, disposal, testing
Permits and inspections called out (included or owner responsibility)
Cleanup and site protection included
Parts warranty years: ____ · Labor warranty years: ____

4. Local experience

Recent similar jobs in your metro described
Local conditions discussed (e.g., Dallas clay/hard water; freeze-thaw in MI)
Who will be on site day-of (employees vs unsupervised day labor)

5. Red flags

Pressure to decide today / “special expires tonight”
Large cash-only deposits with no paper trail
Verbal-only estimate
Won’t provide license or insurance proof
Won’t pull required permits
Quote far below peers without a thinner scope

6. Timing & payment

Start date and expected completion
Daily work hours / noise expectations
Payment schedule tied to milestones (deposit % / completion %)
Change-order process in writing

7. Documentation

Before / during / after photos requested
Invoices and final warranty documents saved
Three references requested (optional but useful)

Next step: Request a quote for a screened match, or read how we vet.

Next steps with TrustZe after you read this guide

Guides like this one are written to help homeowners decide scope, timing, and questions to ask — not to replace a licensed inspection on site. When you are ready for hands-on help, TrustZe can match you with a vetted contractor in markets we support. We are a matching broker: you hire and pay the pro directly, and we do not perform the trade work.

If your project is in Dallas–Fort Worth or another live hub, open the relevant city trade page from service areas, or request a match with photos and a short description. For screening details, see how we vet. Editorial process notes live on our editorial standards page.

Questions worth asking any contractor

What license covers this exact scope, and where can I verify it?
What does the written proposal include vs. exclude (materials, disposal, permits, paint/drywall)?
Who is on site — employees or subcontractors — and who carries insurance?
What warranty applies to labor and materials, and what voids it?
How are change orders priced if hidden damage appears?

Turning this guide into a safer hire

Use the checklist above on every bid, even if a company came through TrustZe. Screening reduces risk; it does not replace reading the proposal. Take photos before and after, keep change orders in writing, and confirm warranty start dates when the job closes.

If you are still deciding between repair and replace, ask each pro to price both paths with the assumptions listed. The cheaper line item is only a bargain when the scope and exclusions match. When markets we support have live hubs, start there so matching stays local to the ZIPs partners actually cover.

Homeowners in Dallas–Fort Worth and other live TrustZe markets can move from education to action without leaving broker-honest context: open the trade hub, submit photos, and compare a written scope before anyone starts demolition or part replacement.

How TrustZe uses guides like this

We publish practical explainers so homeowners arrive at matching with better vocabulary and fewer surprises. Guides are reviewed against broker-honest rules: we do not pretend TrustZe is the local trade company, and we do not stuff cities we do not serve. When data or code requirements change, we update articles and the modified date rather than leaving stale advice ranked.

If you spot an error, email support with the URL and a source link. Corrections help the next homeowner as much as they help our editorial bar.

TrustZe matching standards (homeowners)

Whether you arrived from a city hub, a guide, or a company profile, the broker rules stay the same in your area and every market we support. TrustZe screens partners, introduces you for a specific job, and steps back while you hire and pay the independent contractor. We do not perform trade work, we do not guarantee workmanship, and we do not sell your request into anonymous multi-bidder call centers.

A strong match request includes the city, trade, urgency, photos, access notes, and any HOA or permit constraints. A strong proposal answers scope, materials, exclusions, warranty, and change-order rules in writing. If those pieces are missing, pause — clarity is cheaper than a surprise invoice.

Credential checklist you can reuse on every bid

License number that matches the contracting company (verify on the state or city board).
Liability insurance certificate with current dates and limits appropriate to the job size.
Workers’ compensation when the crew size or trade requires it.
Written scope with inclusions, exclusions, allowances, and who pulls permits.
Payment schedule tied to milestones — not large cash-only balances before work starts.
Warranty terms for labor and materials, plus what maintenance voids coverage.

Questions about screening or coverage? See how we vet, service areas, or contact TrustZe.