The estimate gets all the attention. It is the number you compare, the number you negotiate, and the number you tell your partner about. But the contract is the document that decides what happens when the job does not go to plan — and most homeowners read it for the first time on the morning the crew is due to arrive.
These twelve questions are designed to be asked before you sign, with the contract in front of you. They are not a test of the contractor’s knowledge. They are a way to make sure the document says what you think it says.
1. What exactly is included in the scope?
Point to the scope section and read it aloud. If it says “install 720 square feet of engineered oak in living room, hallway and two bedrooms,” ask what that includes: removal of the old floor, disposal, subfloor preparation, trim, transitions, and cleanup.
A good answer walks through the sequence of work. A weak answer points back at the sentence you just read. The scope should describe the job in stages, not name the product and stop.
2. Which rooms, and how many square feet?
Square footage errors are common and usually resolve in the contractor’s favor at the end of the job. Ask for the room-by-room measurements in the contract, and compare them with the quote.
If the numbers differ from your own measurements, ask why. A hallway or closet may have been excluded, or the measurement may have been rounded up to allow for waste. Both can be legitimate, but the contract should show which rooms were counted.
3. Who supplies the material, and what happens if it runs short?
If you are buying the flooring, the contract should say so, along with who inspects it on delivery and who is responsible for damage found after delivery. If the contractor is supplying it, the contract should name the product, the SKU and the overage percentage.
Ask what happens if the material runs short mid-job. A good contract either includes enough overage to finish or states the price and lead time for a reorder. A bad one leaves the crew waiting and the schedule open.
4. What is the subfloor preparation scope and price?
This is the most important line in the contract and the most often left vague. Ask what preparation is included, how it will be measured, and what happens if the subfloor is worse than expected.
A good answer names the work — patching, sanding, leveling compound, a moisture barrier — and gives a rate for additional work. A weak answer says “prep is included” without a description. Preparation is where change orders are born, so it deserves a paragraph, not a phrase.
5. How will moisture be tested, and where are the readings recorded?
Concrete slabs and wood subfloors both hold moisture that can ruin a floor from underneath. Ask what test will be used, when it will happen, and where the results will be written down.
The contract does not need to contain the readings before the work starts, but it should commit to taking them and recording them. If the answer is “we’ve never had a problem,” ask for the test anyway. The questions page explains the common methods.
6. Are removal, disposal and the dumpster included?
Tear-out, haul-away and landfill fees are frequently omitted to keep the headline number low. Ask directly whether they are included, and where the debris will go.
If the old floor is tile, ask whether the thinset will be ground down and how the dust will be contained. If it is carpet, ask whether the tack strip and staples will be removed. These are small line items that add up to a surprising amount when they appear as extras.
7. What is the start date, the duration, and the process for delays?
A start date without a duration is only half a schedule. Ask how many working days the job should take, what could extend it, and how you will be told if the date moves.
A good contract includes a completion window and a communication process. It may also include a remedy for delays caused by the contractor. You are not looking for a penalty clause; you are looking for a plan.
8. How are change orders priced and approved?
Ask for the labor rate and material markup in advance, and ask for the clause that governs extra work. The only acceptable process is written approval before the work begins.
Watch for language that lets the contractor bill “at their discretion” or “as needed.” That phrasing gives you no control over the budget and no evidence if the final invoice is disputed. The red flags guide covers the clauses to avoid.
9. What is the payment schedule tied to?
A payment schedule should follow progress, not the calendar. Ask what each payment covers and what has to be finished before the next one is due.
Be cautious with a schedule that asks for most of the money before installation begins. The final payment is your leverage for punch-list work, and it should be released after the walkthrough, not before. The deposit guide explains how to judge the upfront portion.
10. Who will be on site, and who supervises?
Ask for the name or role of the person in charge and a phone number for that person. If subcontractors will be used, ask for their business name and insurance certificate.
A good answer is specific: “The crew is two installers and a helper; our project manager, Daniel, will check in each morning.” A weak answer is “our team,” with no names and no supervision plan.
11. What warranties apply, and what voids them?
There are usually two warranties: the manufacturer’s warranty on the material and the installer’s warranty on the workmanship. Ask for both in writing and read the exclusions.
Common exclusions include moisture damage, improper maintenance, damage from furniture or pets, and installation over a subfloor that was not prepared to specification. Ask what maintenance the warranty requires — some manufacturers specify a cleaner or a humidity range — and whether the workmanship warranty transfers if you sell the house. The warranty article goes deeper.
12. What happens after the final payment?
Ask how defects are handled after the job is closed. Who do you call, how quickly will they respond, and what is the process if the issue is a manufacturer defect rather than an installation error?
A good contract includes a warranty period and a contact method. A weak one ends at the invoice. Ask for the answer in writing, even if it is a single sentence added to the contract.
What to do with the answers
Write them down next to the question, and keep the page with the contract. If a contractor answers verbally and the contract is silent, ask for the answer to be added before you sign. A contractor who is confident in their process will not object to writing it down.
Then compare the answers across your three bids, not just the prices. The quote comparison guide shows how to line them up, and the hiring guide puts the contract stage in the context of the whole project.
One last thing: take the contract home. Read it somewhere quiet, with the quote beside it. A business that will not let a signed contract leave the kitchen table for a night is telling you something about how it will handle a problem later.