Finding the right contractors for your historic house or building rehabilitation project can seem like a daunting task. Quality contractors who do the best preservation-oriented rehabilitation work at reasonable prices are indeed hard to find. Since you will be spending a lot of money on your house or building project, you should take the time to find the best people for the job. This bit of homework will go a long way toward ensuring your rehabilitation project is a good experience for everyone involved.

Get a Referral

Referrals are the best way to find the right preservation contractor. With referrals, you get recommendations from friends, co-workers, neighbors, family, local historical societies, your local historic preservation commission or local neighborhood associations. This is valuable information that can point you in the right direction.

When people give you referrals, ask them a lot of questions about the contractor they hired:

• How was your overall experience with the contractor?
• Did the contractor give you a contract you could understand?
• How well did the contractor communicate with you?
• Did the workers arrive when they said they would?
• Were the workers careful around your house or building?
• Did the workers keep their messes cleaned up every day?
• Was the contractor good at anticipating all the elements of the rehabilitation project, or did the contractor give you a lot of change orders?
• Was the contractor’s pricing fair?
• Would you hire this contractor again?

Interview Potential Contractors

When you have narrowed down your choices of preservation contractors, you need to interview each one. You should not ask the contractors to bid on the job at this time. Conduct these meetings like you're interviewing them for a job.

Ask each contractor to bring the following items to the interview:

• Project photos
• A list of past clients (references)
• Proof of license and insurance
• A sample of the contractor’s client contract

Remember that the contractor you choose will be in your home or business every day, so you need to choose a contractor who is great at doing the work — but you should also like this person.

Here are some sample questions you can ask during the interview process:

• How long have you been in the business?
• Have you ever worked on a historic house or building?
• Are you certified and licensed by the state and the Environmental Protection Agency to work around lead paint?
• Are you insured?
• Do you use subcontractors or your own employees?
• If you use subcontractors, do you use the same ones for all your jobs?
• What time do you start and end each day?
• What is your policy on cleaning up the job site?
• How soon after you invoice me will you expect payment?

Check References

After you interview several contractors, you may whittle down your list to two or three contractors you feel comfortable with. Even if you have one particular contractor in mind, you need to check past client references. The contractors should have given you their best references. Call each reference. If a reference tells you things that you see as a problem, cross the contractor off your list. If you are still interested in a contractor after speaking to a reference, arrange to see the work the contractor did for this client. Look at the work closely, especially the details. The fine details could tip your decision one way or another.

If you can find past clients that a contractor did not give you as references, you should try to contact some of those clients as well. In most communities, building permits are public information. You have the right to visit your local building code department and ask for the names of a contractor’s past clients. You may have to wait a few days and pay a small fee for copies of the permits. After calling and visiting these additional clients, you should have a clear idea of the contractors that will fit your needs.

Get a Bid within Your Budget

You may have heard of the “three-bid rule” that suggests you obtain three competitive bids on a project. The three-bid rule was designed by government agencies to ensure agencies followed a competitive bidding process. However, unless you are receiving funds from an organization or government agency that requires three bids, you are better off doing your homework first and picking the contractor you want to work with.

When you have chosen a contractor, call that contractor to begin the bidding process. During a sit-down meeting with the contractor, tell the contractor you picked his or her company from a large group of potential contractors, and explain how thoroughly you checked all of the potential contractors. You should also reveal your exact budget for your rehabilitation project. Many homeowners are reluctant to reveal their budget, but revealing your budget will create a sense of trust with your chosen contractor. It will also allow the contractor you've picked to bid the project within your budget.

When you have agreed on a project bid, your next step is to get a detailed work contract from your contractor.