Questions to ask a sub before you schedule them

Ten questions, in the order worth asking them, and what you are actually listening for in each answer.

None of these take long. The point is not to interrogate anybody, it is that the answers sort a good crew from a busy one in about ten minutes.

1. What exactly are you taking on here?

Have them say the scope back to you in their own words. If it does not match what you sent, you have found the problem now rather than on day one.

2. What is not included?

Better question than the first one, and almost nobody asks it. A crew that can tell you plainly what they are not doing has actually read the scope.

3. Who is coming, and is it the same people every day?

Crew continuity is the thing that decides whether the finish matches itself end to end.

4. What else are you running right now?

You want specifics. Two jobs named, with end dates. Vague answers mean either nothing on or too much on, and you cannot tell which.

5. If you fall behind, when do I hear about it?

The right answer is early, and from them. Not on the day, and never from your client. Every finish crew slips at some point. The difference is whether you get told in time to move something.

6. What do you do when something is not in the scope?

You are listening for: we tell you before we do it. Anything else costs you money or goodwill later.

7. Can I see a job in the area?

An address beats a gallery. If there is nothing to look at, ask why.

8. Who else can I call?

Another builder, ideally one who used them on a schedule rather than a favour.

9. How do you want to be paid, and what are you expecting from me?

Get the terms conversation done before dates. It is far easier now than in week four.

10. Are you comfortable staying out of my client relationship?

Blunt, and worth asking out loud. Your client is the asset. A sub who is on your job building their own list is a risk no price makes up for. A straight answer here tells you a lot about how they run.

On credentials and insurance. Run whatever checks your job and your own agreements call for, and get the certificate in your hands rather than taking anybody's word for it. That is your process and your call, and a sub worth having will hand the paperwork over without being chased twice.

What the answers add up to

You are not looking for perfect answers. You are looking for specific ones, given without hesitation, by somebody who has clearly thought about how their crew fits into somebody else's schedule.