Hiring a contractor shouldn’t feel like a gamble. Homeowners keep telling the same stories: calls that never get returned, phones flooded by lead websites, deposits that disappear, and work that has to be redone. Use this checklist with anyone you’re considering, including us.
1. Ask for proof of insurance
Ask whether the contractor carries liability insurance, and ask to see proof. If a crew damages your floors or your neighbor’s fence, insurance is what pays for it.
How CB Built Homes does it: We’re licensed and insured. Ask us about it when we come out for your estimate.
2. Expect a call back, fast
The most common complaint homeowners share online is being ghosted: no call back, no-show estimates, quotes that never arrive. How a contractor handles your first call is a preview of the whole job.
How CB Built Homes does it: We call back within 10 minutes.
3. Someone should come see the job
A real quote needs real measurements. Be wary of a firm price over the phone for anything beyond small work.
How CB Built Homes does it: We come out in person to see your project, and the estimate is free.
4. Get the estimate in writing
Ask for an itemized, written estimate that says what’s included and what isn’t. Compare bids line by line, not just by the bottom number.
How CB Built Homes does it: We hand you the estimate in person or send it by email or text, so you have it in writing.
5. Know who will actually do the work
Ask who will be on site each day, who supervises them, and who you call with questions.
How CB Built Homes does it: Our own crew and trusted subcontractors, with Connor Barnett supervising every job.
6. Keep the deposit reasonable and tied to a start date
Stories of contractors vanishing after a big deposit are common. A deposit should be tied to a written contract and a start date, and you should never pay most of the job up front.
How CB Built Homes does it: Usually 50% up front and 50% on completion. On some jobs, materials are paid up front and labor on completion.
7. Pay on a schedule that follows the work
Payments should line up with finished milestones, with the final payment due after a walkthrough you’re happy with.
How CB Built Homes does it: Usually 50% up front and 50% when the job is complete, or materials up front and labor on completion, depending on the job.
8. Put changes in writing
Mid-project changes are where budgets spiral. Agree that any change to the scope or price gets written down and approved before the work happens.
How CB Built Homes does it: Every change is written up as a change order, and your estimate or contract is updated to match.
9. Protect your home and your information
Ask how they’ll protect floors and furniture, and be careful with lead websites that pass your phone number to many companies at once.
How CB Built Homes does it: We cover your floors and furniture, and we never sell your information.
Ready for a free estimate?
Fences, decks and staining, painting, flooring, and bath & tile across the Birmingham area. Call (205) 383-7177 and we’ll call you back within 10 minutes, or send us your project online.
Financing available through Acorn Finance.