# Twelve questions to ask any contractor before you hire them

Source: https://thehoustonhomeowner.com/guides/questions-to-ask-before-you-hire
Publisher: The Houston Homeowner (https://thehoustonhomeowner.com)
Published: 2026-10-05

> Ask about the license, the insurance, the permit, the people, the price structure, the scope, the warranty and the payment schedule. Good companies answer all twelve without hesitating. Bad ones get irritated around question three.

Use these in order. You do not need every one for a drain cleaning. You need all of them for a repipe, a roof, a panel, a system replacement or a foundation.

1. **What is your license number?** For plumbing, electrical and air conditioning this is required by Texas law. A good answer is a number you can look up. A bad answer is "we're fully licensed and insured" with nothing attached to it.
2. **Who will be on site, and what license do they hold?** The owner's license does not cover an unlicensed crew. A good answer names the person and the license class.
3. **Can your insurance agent send me a certificate of insurance?** Not a PDF from the contractor. A certificate issued by the agent, listing general liability and whether workers' compensation is carried. Texas does not require private employers to carry workers' comp, so ask.
4. **Does this work need a City of Houston permit, and will you pull it?** A good answer is yes or a clear explanation of why not. A bad answer is "we can skip it to save you money" or "you can pull it as the homeowner."
5. **How do you price: flat-rate from a book, or by the hour?** Either is fine. What you want is to know before the work starts, and to know whether there is a fee if you decline.
6. **What exactly is in the scope?** Materials by brand and grade, what gets opened and who closes it, what is excluded, and what happens if they find something else.
7. **What is the warranty on labor, in years, and is it in writing?** Separate from the manufacturer's warranty on parts.
8. **Who registers the manufacturer's warranty, and in whose name?** Water heaters, AC systems, generators and shingles all have registration rules. Unregistered equipment often carries a shorter warranty.
9. **What is the payment schedule?** Small jobs are paid on completion. Large jobs may have a deposit when materials are ordered. A deposit over half, before anything is delivered, is a warning.
10. **How long have you operated under this exact name, and where is your office?** A Houston address and years under one name. Name changes after bad reviews are common in roofing and foundation work.
11. **Can I call two customers from the last year?** Recent references for similar work. Not a testimonial page.
12. **What would you do if this were your house?** Not a trick. A professional will tell you what they would skip, what they would upgrade, and why. A salesperson will tell you to buy the top option.

## What to write down

The license number, the name of the person on site, the price structure, the scope, the warranty and the payment schedule. If the company will not put those in writing, you have your answer.

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