Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Stone Masonry Professional

Masonry house improvements can offer a lot of value to your home and quality to your life. However, outdoor fireplaces, veneer facades, walkways, and stone patios require an expert professional to perform. Because of this, it is vital to get a good grip on who you’ll be hiring when looking for a potential masonry Fargo contractor for your project.  

Here are a couple of questions to ask a professional masonry contractor: 

What’s the Payment Schedule and Cost? 

In general, construction contracts include a schedule of installments and a partial payment upfront. It is often another share of the halfway mark and a final payment when the project is complete. It might be an indication that you need to look for another contractor if the contractor asks you to pay more than 50% in advance. Almost every agreement is an estimate. Also, when hiring a stone masonry contractor, you have to ask about restrictions on possible cost overruns.  

Do You Have References? 

When it comes to home improvement projects, it is extremely important to ask for references. You can easily get an idea of the professionalism and skill of the potential contractor by calling a couple of previous customers or driving by the site of a past job. A confident contractor will not hesitate to provide you a couple of references. If he/she won’t provide, it can be a red flag. 

Are You Registered with the BBB? 

This is not a huge factor to consider. However, nowadays, we are living in a digital age. Unsatisfied customers will vent their displeasure on Yelp, Google, and a lot of other online review websites. For those who don’t know, the BBB takes complaints more seriously and follows up with the contractor about the situation. This means that the BBB is more credible compared to others. Thus, it will be a lot better if the contractor has an affiliation with the BBB. 

Do You Have an Insurance? 

In general, government certification means that the contractor is required to have insurance. It is not common for insurance providers to drop an insurance carrier for excessive claims or missing a payment. It is vital to know that you will be the one held accountable if an injury or accident happens during the project and the contractor does not have insurance. Of course, you do not want to face a civil claim just because you worked with an uninsured professional. Make sure you ask to see the documents to know if the insurance is legit or not. Don’t hire a contractor without any insurance. 

Are You State Certified? 

Nowadays, there are a lot of sub-par contractors in the industry. That’s why certifications are required. As a homeowner, it is in your ideal interest to work with a professional who is certified. This certification will tell you that the contractor is a professional and does not offer sub-par work. The state should have a record if previous clients have lodged complaints about poor-quality work. Certification will separate high-quality professionals from shoddy contractors.