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Hiring a contractor · free tool & guide

Hiring a contractor: preparation guide

A useful contractor checklist follows the whole job: comparing proposals, verifying the business, agreeing the work, controlling changes and collecting completion documents. Price alone cannot tell you what is included or how problems will be handled.

Use the worksheet to gather records, track unanswered questions and flag the matters you want to discuss before agreeing a deposit or payment stage.

Make the scope, payments and finish clear before work starts. Gather documents, flag priorities and export the questions still open. No account or payment.

Prepare my contractor checklist

Free working checklist · 18 checks · 3 stages

Make the scope, payments and finish clear before work starts.

Work one stage at a time. Gather the documents listed, add notes and flag what you want to discuss first. “Reviewed” records your progress; it does not mean a term is safe or agreed.

General US homeowner preparation. Local rules and your contract control licences, permits, deposits, cancellation and lien rights; this worksheet does not certify a contractor.

Sources and scope · checked 2026-10-11

These are background references. The checklist has not been professionally reviewed or endorsed by these organisations.

Compare and verify

List the job, finish quality, site conditions, exclusions and who supplies materials.

Gather: Written scope, drawings and specifications.

Add or view a note

Compare quantities, allowances, schedule, permit costs and disposal as well as price.

Gather: Itemised proposals and comparison notes.

Add or view a note

Confirm required trade and location permissions and current status; ContractorVetted can be a starting point.

Gather: Official licence record, contractor legal name and any local registrations.

Add or view a note

Ask the insurer or agent to explain coverage, effective dates and relevant exclusions.

Gather: Insurance evidence and independent confirmation.

Add or view a note

Speak to authorised references about scope changes, communication, payment and defects.

Gather: Reference notes and comparable project details.

Add or view a note

Clarify key subcontractors, site supervision and responsibility for their work.

Gather: Team list and subcontractor or supervision plan.

Add or view a note
Contract, schedule and site

Match legal names, scope, price, attachments and any agreed representations.

Gather: Full draft and all plans or schedules.

Add or view a note

Confirm required approvals with the local authority and record who obtains them.

Gather: Permit list, application responsibilities and inspection plan.

Add or view a note

Identify dependencies, material availability and how delays are communicated.

Gather: Milestone schedule and proposed delay process.

Add or view a note

Clarify working hours, access, safety, cleanup and protection of existing property.

Gather: Site plan, access arrangements and protection responsibilities.

Add or view a note

Agree how scope, price and schedule changes are approved before work proceeds.

Gather: Change-order form and approval process.

Add or view a note

Read termination, dispute, warranty and any applicable cancellation provisions.

Gather: Contract terms and applicable local consumer information.

Professional review: Ask local counsel or a consumer agency if cancellation rights, liability or dispute terms are unclear.

Add or view a note
Payments and completion

Understand what the deposit funds and check any applicable local limits.

Gather: Deposit clause and local consumer or licensing guidance.

Add or view a note

Define completed stages, inspection evidence and approval before payment.

Gather: Payment schedule and completion evidence for each stage.

Add or view a note

Ask a qualified local professional which payment records and waivers are appropriate.

Gather: Payment receipts and locally appropriate waiver or release forms.

Professional review: Lien and waiver rules vary; get local advice before relying on a form or releasing funds.

Add or view a note

Agree an inspection and a written list with responsible people and completion dates.

Gather: Walk-through notes, punch list and agreed corrections.

Add or view a note

Obtain approvals, warranties, manuals, receipts and any agreed final releases.

Gather: Inspection signoffs and closeout documents.

Add or view a note

Record warranty scope, exclusions, deadlines and the contact process.

Gather: Written warranty and contractor contact details.

Add or view a note

18 items in this view. Your export always includes the whole checklist.

Your statuses and notes stay in this page. We do not send or save them. Download your checklist before refreshing or leaving.

Your conversation plan

18 open items

0 reviewed · 0 not applicable · 18 open · 0 open flagged to discuss first

Flagged open questions appear first. Priorities are your choices, not risk scores. Your download includes every item, evidence prompt, question, status, priority, note and source.

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Before ClausePrep

Before ClausePrep

The quote is cheaper than the other two. They can start Monday. You want the mess gone more than you want paperwork.

After ClausePrep

After ClausePrep

License checked, scope written, payment milestones clear. You finish the job without chasing a ghost.

Documents behind a controlled project

  • Written scope, specifications and comparable itemised proposals.
  • Official licence checks, insurance evidence and references.
  • Complete contract, schedule, payment stages and change-order process.
  • Permit responsibilities, inspection plan and site protection rules.
  • Punch list, closeout approvals, warranties and payment records.

Compare complete proposals and verify the business

Give bidders the same scope and ask them to identify allowances, exclusions and dependencies. Check the legal business name and required trade or local permissions with the issuing authority.

Verify insurance and ask authorised references about comparable completed work. ContractorVetted can help you start a licence check; confirm the relevant official record rather than treating any directory listing as certification.

Make changes, delays and payments explicit

Agree a written contract covering scope, cost, materials, permits, inspection responsibility and site arrangements. Use a written approval process for changes to price, scope or schedule.

Define what evidence supports each payment stage and check applicable local deposit rules. Ask qualified local advice about cancellation, disputes, liens and waiver forms; requirements vary.

Example: a low bid excludes a required cost

Illustrative scenario: two proposals look comparable until one excludes disposal and permits. Ask for those responsibilities and costs in writing, then compare the complete scopes before choosing.

An allowance is another item to clarify: record what is budgeted, how the final amount is calculated and how a change is authorised.

Plan completion before the work starts

Agree the walk-through, punch list, correction process and final-payment conditions. Record responsibility and target dates for unresolved work.

Keep permits or inspection signoffs, manuals, warranties, receipts and appropriate releases with the contract. Confirm how to report a later defect and what response process the warranty promises.

Free sample for this situation

Sample questions and state notes free. The full checklist, scripts, leverage, timeline, and printable export unlock after you see the sample works for you.

Free sample

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Hiring a contractor · Step 1 of 3

Answer each step, then continue. Tap Edit on a prior answer to change it.

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Questions

01

How many bids should I get?

Obtain enough comparable written proposals to understand scope, price and delivery options for the project. A proposal count alone does not establish quality or completeness.

02

Can I use one deposit or lien-waiver rule everywhere?

No. Check local licensing and consumer guidance and ask qualified local advice where needed. Deposit limits, lien rights and waiver requirements vary.

03

Does this checklist certify the contractor?

No. It helps you organise verification and contract questions. Confirm official permissions, insurance and references separately.

04

How do I save my completed worksheet?

Download the text checklist to keep every item, evidence prompt, question, status, priority, note and background source. Entries stay in the page and are not saved; export before refreshing or leaving.

05

Are flagged priorities an assessment of risk?

No. Discuss-first flags are your choices. They move flagged open questions to the top of your conversation plan without changing the review status.

Educational content only. ClausePrep is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. For material decisions, consult a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.