What questions should I ask before hiring a commercial contractor?” “How do I vet a general contractor?

Hiring a commercial contractor is a lot like hiring anybody. The ones who do good work do not mind hard questions. The ones who dodge them are telling you something. Here are the questions I would ask before I signed anything, if I were sitting in your chair.

Have you done work like mine, and can I see it?

A contractor who builds offices is not automatically the right one for a restaurant or a medical suite. Ask for projects like yours, and ask to visit one or talk to the owner. Good work is easy to show. If they cannot show you any, keep looking.

Who is actually running my job?

You want to know the name of the person on your site every day, not just the salesperson who charmed you in the meeting. Ask who your point of contact is and how they will keep you updated. The answer tells you how the whole job will feel.

How do you handle a price that changes?

Costs move on every project. What matters is whether the contractor tells you early and in writing, or springs it on you at the end. Ask how they handle change orders, which are written changes to the job after the contract is signed. You want a clear process, not a shrug.

Are you licensed and insured, and can you prove it?

This is basic, and any real contractor will hand it over without blinking. If getting a certificate of insurance feels like pulling teeth, that is your answer.

What could go wrong on my job?

This is my favorite question, because a contractor who knows their trade will give you a real answer. Someone who says nothing will go wrong has either never run a hard job or is not being straight with you. Every job has risks. The good ones see them coming.

You are about to trust somebody with a lot of money and a space your business depends on. Ask the hard questions. The right contractor will respect you for it.