Hiring a general contractor is a significant decision — you’re trusting someone with your home or business for months and a meaningful sum of money. The Richmond area has a lot of contractors, and a few targeted questions will quickly separate a professional operation from one that cuts corners.
Here’s what to ask before you sign anything.
1. Are You Licensed in Virginia — and at What Class?
Virginia requires contractors to hold a state license through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). There are three classes:
- Class C: Projects up to $10,000
- Class B: Projects $10,000–$120,000
- Class A: Projects over $120,000 (or any project involving design)
Most significant home renovations, additions, and commercial projects require at least a Class B license; large projects require Class A. You can verify any contractor’s license at dpor.virginia.gov — search by license number or business name. If a contractor can’t give you their license number, that’s your answer.
2. Can You Show Proof of Insurance?
General liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage are not optional. Liability insurance protects your property if something goes wrong on-site. Workers’ comp protects you from liability if a worker is injured during your project — without it, you could be held responsible under Virginia law.
Ask for a Certificate of Insurance naming you as an additional insured. A legitimate contractor will provide this without hesitation. Verify that the coverage limits are reasonable for your project size.
3. Do You Handle Design In-House, or Do I Need a Separate Architect?
This matters more than most homeowners realize. On a design-build project, one entity owns both the design and the construction — you have one contract, one point of contact, and no gap between what was drawn and what gets built. On a traditional project, you hire an architect separately, then take their drawings to a builder.
Neither model is wrong, but you should know which one you’re in. Understanding the design-build vs. architect approach before you hire can save you a significant amount of confusion mid-project.
For most residential renovations and additions in Richmond — and for commercial tenant improvements — design-build typically produces a more predictable outcome.
4. Who Pulls the Permits?
The contractor. In Virginia, permits are tied to the licensed contractor of record. A contractor who asks you to pull permits — or suggests skipping them “to save time” — is waving a red flag. Unpermitted work surfaces during home sales, may void homeowner’s insurance coverage, and leaves you holding the liability. A professional builds permit timelines into the schedule and handles filing as standard practice.
5. What Does the Written Contract Cover?
Before work begins, you should have a contract that includes at minimum:
- Scope of work in specific terms, not vague summaries
- Payment schedule tied to milestones, not arbitrary dates
- Start and completion dates
- Change order process — scope changes priced and approved in writing
- Materials specifications — brands and grades
- Warranty terms
A time-and-materials contract puts all cost risk on you. A fixed-scope contract with milestone payments is cleaner for both parties. Be cautious of large upfront deposits — standard practice is 10–30% to mobilize, remainder tied to construction progress.
6. Can You Provide References — and Are There Recent Reviews?
Ask for two or three references from similar projects in the past year. Call them. Ask: Did the project come in close to the original estimate? Were there surprises? Was communication consistent? Would you hire them again?
Online reviews are a useful signal but not the whole picture. What you’re reading for is consistency and specificity — a review describing the actual project is more useful than a generic five stars.
7. How Will You Communicate During the Project?
This question is underrated. Some contractors are exceptional builders and difficult communicators. For a project lasting more than a few weeks, knowing your point of contact, the update cadence, and how change orders are handled in writing matters enormously.
Ask: Who do I call day-to-day? How are change orders documented? What does a typical weekly update look like?
Choosing a contractor carefully before signing is far easier than sorting out problems once work is underway. If you’d like to understand how River City Build Co approaches projects — licensing, permitting, contracts, and communication — learn more about us or get in touch directly. Virginia Class A licensed (#2705188410), insured, and serving Greater Richmond and Central VA.
(804) 525-9656