Do you call for references on your contractor?

[Anonymous]

How many? Check BBB too?

[Anonymous]

Yes, definitely. We went to go see two houses that our contractor had worked on. One we went to see before they drywalled and then again after they finished. Obviously it took us a while to make a decision It was very helpful both to see the work and to be able to ask the homeowners specific questions about working with the contractor.

Make a list of things you want to ask, so you don't forget. But you should also see their work in person, as that may lead to more questions or at least to verify that the reference you're talking to has the same standards you have.

[Anonymous]

I used to call references and check BBB. I even had one reference invite us out to see his house and talk about the work.

However, I have to say that I have not seen a big difference in quality between providers for whom I called references and those for whom I just checked reviews. I would not use someone with a poor BBB rating, though.