Below are questions that if asked, can save your health, your marriage and your wallet.  

General Contractor FAQ List:

1. Who will be onsite and in charge of my job each day?
2. Who looks after getting permits?
3. Do you have a list of references?
4. How many jobs does your company have in progress right now?
5. Do you have a portfolio that shows insurance, certifications, a license, and photos of the work you have completed?
6. How much of this project will you "sub" out?
7. How long have you been working as a contractor?

Questions To Ask References: 

1. Did the contractor start and finish on time?
2. Was the contractor courteous and clean?
3. Did the contractor charge you money at the end or any point in the project you didn't expect?
4. Did the contractor keep you involved in the project by explaining to you what they were doing or telling you when something unexpected happened?
5. Did the contractor get permits? If not, why?
6. May I visit your home to see the work the contractor completed? Or do you have before & after photos you would be willing to share with me?

Questions to ask yourself when deciding on a General Contractor:

Trust: 

• Do you believe your General Contractor is genuine in his approach to this project?
• Have you checked the General Contractor references? At least two in-person walk through’s of finished work is recommended.
• Does the quote seem too low? This can oftentimes be an early "red flag."
• Have you checked with the CSLB (California State Licensing Board) regarding the General Contractor's certifications & record? This is a better checks & balance than the BBB (Better Business Bureau) as the BBB runs on a "pay-to-play" approach where the more money a company pays, the better their reviews. (very disappointing)
• Is the Contractor covered with Workers Comp, Liability and other insurance that protects his workers and you the homeowner?
• Did the General Contractor walk through your rights as a customer to require certain types of bonds?

Organization:

• Is the contract detailed? Does it contain specifics like types of tiles, flooring, appliances, cabinets, paint, etc?
• Does the contract disclose things like Commercial Liability Insurance, Workers Compensation Insurance, Change Orders, Mechanics Lien Warnings, CSLB Notice, and Three Day Right to Cancel?
• Did the General Contractor describe the pro's & con's of the timeline? 
• Does the contract have a proper progress payment schedule?
• How clean is the General Contractor current job site? Do a "pop-in" to check. Did the references mention how clean the job site was? 

**  Cleanliness often gets overlooked but is very important. A lot can be said about a contractor who is clean versus a contractor who is messy. 

Hands On Communication:

• Did the General Contractor state that he would be on the job site every day? If not, how often will he and who else will be in charge when he is not there?
• How well is your Contractor communicating with you already?

** You're going to be working with this person for a while so style of communication and personality matters.

• Ask how the General Contractor will communicate with you daily. Is it via text, direct phone call or email?  Explain and discuss what is best for your communication style as well.