Hiring trades from a distance

Ask for the documents first

Before a first visit: proof of insurance, and for licensed trades the licence number. A contractor who is slow to produce a certificate is telling you something. Insurance matters most in the cases you least expect — a fire, a fall, a dropped beam.

Confirm who will be on site, who supervises the work and how you can reach the project contact.

Put the scope in writing

A written scope should name the surfaces or components being worked on, the preparation, the products, the number of coats or the finish, what is included in cleanup, and what is explicitly excluded. Include any exclusions so the scope is clear for everyone.

Photos in the quote help. A quote that references the specific wall, dock section or window is harder to argue with than one that references 'the exterior'.

Payment and milestones

A deposit for materials is normal. A large deposit for labour before any work has started is not. Tie payments to milestones you can verify — materials delivered, prep complete, first coat, final walkthrough — and hold a final portion until you have seen the finished work.

Ask for evidence as it goes

Progress photos at agreed checkpoints, not a single image at the end. A short written note of anything unexpected found along the way, before it becomes a change order. This is the cheapest form of project management there is.

If you have a coordinator, this is the part they do on your behalf — visiting, photographing, confirming that what was quoted is what is being done.

Red flags worth taking seriously

Cash-only with no paperwork. A price given without seeing the property. Reluctance to put a start date in writing. A crew that wants to begin immediately on a job nobody has scoped. Any one of these can be innocent; three of them together usually isn't.

Review business details, relevant credentials, insurance and references alongside the proposal. Keep the agreed scope and project updates together for easy reference.