Asking for references

Nick Cosentino is a veteran of over 40 years in the trades.  He is also the founder and owner of the esteemed and well respected Old Masters Construction Company in Chicago, Illinois.  A company known for its incredible attention to detail, artisan craftsmanship and high customer satisfaction. 

Hey Nick,

Q:  Should I ask for references when choosing a contractor for a project?

A:  Yes, without question. As a matter of fact, ask if you can go and see some of their work personally. Nothing shows you the work quality or lack of it more than an inspection that you’ve made with your own eyes.

Q:   How many references should I expect?

A:   Well, everyone is different but most contractors will give you 3. But you should ask for more…at least 5. But, you should also ask the contractor if you weren’t satisfied with that 3 or 5 would they have more if you requested it? Make sure that you imply this might be more than a possibility. If they say no then you should end your negotiations immediately. There is no contractor, who is worth their salt, who will not want to show off their work. Also, as far as references, you should ask for the most recent project they’ve done, even one that they are currently working on. Nothing fares better than to see what a recent or current customer has to say about a contractor than the project they have either just completed or is near completion. Keep in mind though that any particular customer may have expected too much for the money they paid or may have been difficult to work with for anybody. You need to be able to sort out the personality. If this becomes the case then simply ask the contractor for the project they did just before that one (after you’ve talked to that first particular customer that is). Chances are there won’t be 2 in a row, unless the contractor was the problem all along. If that’s the reason then you know what to do. One other reason a contractor might not want to have you contact a recent customer though is truly legitimate. Because he may have already given them as references to other potential clients before you and it may exceed a comfortable number. If that’s the case, he will let you know and just go onto another recent customer where that’s not a problem (but don’t ask the contractor if that’s the reason, let them volunteer that information).

Q:  What should I expect when I receive the contractor’s reference list?

A:   Expect at least phone numbers. The contractor may be reluctant to give out addresses, and rightfully so, but in your conversation with that past customer ask them if they would mind if you came by. Not everybody is OK with that though, they might not mind answering your questions about the contractor by phone but they might not like the idea of strangers coming to their home. This is not always the case of course but on occasion it can be. You should also call or attempt to call each reference. If there is a project that resembles yours or a portion of yours, then you should ask if you can come by to see it. If the reference is OK with that then try to make a convenient appointment that is good for them, tell them how much you appreciate it and that you don’t want to impose on them. Remember, this may be you in the future.

Q:   Is it necessary that the contractor accompany me on a reference call?

A:   No, as a matter of fact, it’s better if they don’t. It leaves you with the opportunity to ask the questions that you think are important.

Q:   What kind of questions should I ask of a contractor’s reference?

A:    Well, in my opinion these would be some important questions that I would ask if I was hiring someone like this:

1. How did you come to meet this contractor? Do you have a past history with them?

2. What did you think of the quality of this contractors work?

3. Are you satisfied that you got what you paid for?

4. Did you like the crew?

5. Were there any problems on the project and were you satisfied with the outcome if so?

6. Would you hire this contractor again for a different project?

7. Would you recommend them to your family or friends?

8. Can I see the work they did for you?

9. Is there anything in particular that you are impressed with?

10 Is there anything in particular that you are disappointed or not satisfied with?

Of course you may have a question or more yourself, but costs or money should not be one of them. That can be a very uncomfortable subject to talk about and unless they volunteer that information without it being prompted by you then I would advise to steer away from it.

You should leave with a good sense of what this contractor is like after a meeting like this but I would suggest that you at least see more than one project. You will get a better feel for everything this way. While 2 should suffice, 3 will be even better (but not always necessary). Maybe because of your own schedule, more than one house calls will be difficult to do, but phone calls should always be made…and the more the merrier. Remember, you’re looking to be comfortable with a decision, so the more info the better.