Six Critical Questions to Ask When Interviewing Potential Contractors – Part One

Both fire and water damage can be sudden, scary and overwhelming. Whether you are dealing with a dryer fire at an apartment building, or destructive and dirty water damage at your personal home, it’s easy to feel lost and confused. You know you need to get help (and fast), but who can you trust? How can you pick the right disaster restoration contractor? We have come up with some important questions to ask potential contractors.

Choosing the right partner can feel almost as overwhelming as discovering the damage itself. Almost everyone has had (or has heard about) a bad experience with an unreliable or low-quality contractor. In this vulnerable time, you need help from an experienced, local team that you can trust.

In this two-part guide, we are going to share a set of questions that will help you find a great disaster restoration contractor who can get your life back to normal as quickly as possible. Here are the first three questions you should ask.

Question One: How long has your company been in business?

Ideally, the potential contractor you are interviewing will have many years of experience working in the disaster restoration industry. These years of experience on many different types of jobs means that they will have both the skills and knowledge needed to restore your property, and the communication and project management skills needed to make it as easy as possible for everyone involved. 

In addition to their years in business, you can also ask them about the number of projects they have completed, and about the number of projects that are similar to yours. Don’t be afraid to ask for specific examples. 

Finally, make sure that what your potential contractor tells you matches what you can find online, both on their own website and on other review or licensing websites.

Question Two: Do you have the required license, recommended certifications, and proper insurance?

The requirements on whether different types of contractors must obtain a license or other credentials can vary by location. Any potential contractors or professional cleaners you are interviewing should be able to explain what the local necessary licensing requirements are, and provide you with evidence of theirs.

Many industries also have certifications that demonstrate a contractor’s commitment to education, training, and high quality work. Within the disaster restoration industry, we recommend choosing a contractor who actively maintains (and can explain) their industry certifications. 

In order to ensure that everyone is protected when working on your property, contractors should have both workers’ compensation and commercial general liability insurance. They may also need commercial drivers licenses for certain equipment. Their coverage should be specific to the type or work they are doing for you, and must meet the state requirements for their industry.

Question Three: What precautions will you take to protect my property from further damage?

When you are dealing with the aftermath of fire or water damage, your Minneapolis home or business has already been damaged. The last thing you want is for the restoration process to cause even more problems. Your home may be exposed to the elements, and furniture and surfaces can come into contact with destructive and dirty substances. 

Ask any potential disaster restoration contractors about the precautions they plan to take to protect your belongings. Covering items, monitoring humidity, controlling the airflow, and even removing certain items from the job site can all be helpful. 

A high-quality disaster restoration contractor will use very specific measures to ensure the safety of your property, their workers, the environment they’re working in, and the materials that will be used to restore your home. In addition to protecting your property, these measures will reduce construction accidents and get your restoration completed as quickly as possible.

Choose a Restoration and Cleaning Partner You Can Count On

Asking these three questions is a great way to get to know the contractors you are considering. Making sure that they meet both local requirements and make you feel comfortable is essential. In part two of this series, we will share three more questions that can help you learn more about what working with a potential contractor will actually be like. 

If you are looking for a disaster restoration contractor who can help you with fire damage, water damage, professional cleaning services, odor removal, and more, Green Clean would love to hear from you. As local Twin Cities professionals with over 25 years in business, we are happy to answer your questions and look forward to helping you enjoy your home again.