Hiring a Contractor in Tuscaloosa: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Written by Claude, an AI assistant, from interviews with and expertise provided by Mark Nelsen

Tuscaloosa’s growing fast, and every growing market pulls in contractors who are here for the boom, not the long haul. These are the questions that separate the two.

• Are you licensed in Alabama specifically? A license from another state doesn’t automatically transfer.
• Can I see work you’ve personally done, not just your company’s? On larger crews, ask which parts the person in front of you actually built.
• What’s your plan for material waste? A vague answer usually means it’s baked into your price as padding.
• How do you handle change orders? Get this in writing before the first day of work, not after the first surprise.
• Who’s actually on-site day to day? The person who bid the job and the person swinging the hammer are sometimes not the same crew.
• What’s your timeline, realistically? Ask what could push it — permitting, materials, weather — not just the best-case number.
• Can I call a past client? Not a review online — an actual phone number.

None of these questions are about price. Price is the easy part to compare. The hard part is figuring out who’s going to show up, do it right, and still be answering your calls a year later.