Every contractor you interview will tell you they do great work. References are how you find out if that’s actually true — but only if you ask the right questions. Most homeowners call a reference, hear “yeah, they were great,” and consider the box checked. That’s not due diligence. That’s a formality.
The contractors who do poor work still get glowing references — from their brother-in-law, their one satisfied client from three years ago, or someone who didn’t notice the problems until after they hung up. Knowing how to ask, what to ask, and how to read between the lines is what turns a reference call into a genuinely useful screening tool.
Here’s how to do it properly.
“References are only as good as the questions you ask. I’ve seen homeowners call three references, hear nothing but positives, and still end up in a nightmare project — because they never asked whether the job finished on time, whether the price changed, or whether they’d actually hire the contractor again. Those three questions alone will tell you more than anything else.”
— David Kimani, residential construction consultant and former project manager with over 15 years managing renovations across the Greater Toronto Area
Table of Contents
First: How to Ask for References the Right Way
Before you pick up the phone, the way you request references matters as much as the calls themselves.
Can you provide three references from projects similar to mine, completed in the last 12 months?
There are three specific constraints built into this question, and each one matters.
Similar projects. A contractor who mostly builds decks is not the best reference source for a contractor you’re hiring for a full basement renovation. Ask for references from jobs that are comparable in scope, complexity, and trade type to yours.
Last 12 months. A reference from five years ago tells you almost nothing about the contractor’s current crew, current subcontractors, current quality standards, or current business practices. Insist on recent work.
Three references. One reference is a cherry-pick. Two is a little better. Three gives you enough to identify patterns — if two out of three mention the same issue, that’s signal, not noise.
What a good answer looks like: Three names and phone numbers offered without hesitation, for projects that genuinely resemble yours.
Red flag: Reluctance to provide references, references that are all from years ago, or references who turn out to be family members or business associates of the contractor.
Can I see photos or visit a completed project in person?
A portfolio of photos is useful. An in-person visit to a completed project is invaluable. Some contractors, with the permission of past clients, will arrange site visits for prospective clients. It’s worth asking — and if a contractor has a project you can walk through, take them up on it.
Photos can be curated to show only the best angles. A finished basement you can walk through, touch, and inspect tells a completely different story.
Questions to Ask the References Themselves
Once you have the names and numbers, here’s what to actually ask when you call.
Did the project finish on time?
This is one of the most predictive questions you can ask. Contractors who finish on time tend to do so consistently. Contractors who run late tend to do that consistently too — across clients, across projects, across years.
If the project ran late, ask why. Weather delays and permit holdups are legitimate. “They just kept pushing our start date because they took on other jobs” is a management problem you’ll likely inherit.
Did the final cost match the original quote?
Budget overruns are the single most common complaint against contractors. Ask the reference directly: did the project come in at the quoted price, and if not, by how much did it go over? Were the extra costs explained and agreed upon in writing before the work was done, or did they appear as surprises at the end?
A contractor who manages change orders professionally will have clients who can speak to that. One who doesn’t will have clients who felt blindsided.
For more on this, see: Questions to Ask When Your Contractor Goes Over Budget
How was communication throughout the project?
This is often where projects go wrong in ways that don’t show up in the finished work. Ask the reference: did the contractor keep them informed? Were calls and messages returned promptly? Did they ever feel like they had to chase the contractor for updates?
A contractor who communicates well makes the whole experience significantly better — especially when problems come up, as they often do on renovation projects.
Were there any problems, and how were they handled?
This is the most revealing question on the list. Every project has something go sideways — unexpected conditions behind a wall, a material that arrives damaged, a subcontractor who misses a day. The measure of a contractor isn’t whether problems happen. It’s how they respond when they do.
A reference who says “there were a few hiccups but they were sorted out quickly and without drama” is telling you something very positive. A reference who pauses before saying “well, it all worked out eventually” might be telling you something else.
Would you hire them again?
Simple, direct, and the most useful single question you can ask. Listen not just to the answer but to how quickly it comes. A genuine yes lands without hesitation. A “yeah, probably” or a pause before answering is worth noting.
Is there anything you wish you’d known before hiring them?
This open-ended question often surfaces things a reference wouldn’t volunteer on their own — the contractor’s habit of starting late in the morning, a tendency to over-promise on timelines, a subcontractor who was difficult to deal with. It gives the reference permission to share nuance they might have held back.
How to Read Between the Lines
References are rarely going to tell you a contractor is terrible. Most people don’t want the conflict of saying something strongly negative about someone they’ve met. That means you need to listen carefully for what’s not being said, and for qualifications buried in positive answers.
Some patterns to watch for:
Enthusiasm vs. politeness. There’s a difference between “honestly, they were fantastic — I’ve already referred them to two neighbors” and “they did a good job, everything turned out fine.” Both are positive. Only one is a genuine endorsement.
Specific vs. vague. References who give you specific examples — “they caught a structural issue behind the drywall that we never would have found, and they fixed it without charging extra” — are describing a contractor they genuinely trust. References who speak only in generalities may be doing the minimum to be helpful.
The hesitation. Any pause before answering “would you hire them again?” Or “were there problems?” Is worth noting. People who are about to say something they’re less sure about hesitate. People who are genuinely satisfied don’t.
Checking Online Reviews Alongside References
References are contractor-selected. Online reviews are not. Before you call references, spend 15 minutes reading Google, HomeStars, and Houzz reviews for the contractor’s company name. Look for:
- Overall patterns across many reviews, not just the worst or best
- How the contractor responds to negative reviews (professionally or defensively?)
- Whether negative reviews mention the same issues repeatedly
- Reviews that mention the contractor’s company name changing — a signal worth investigating
Online reviews and personal references together give you a much fuller picture than either alone.
A Simple Reference Call Script
If you’re not sure how to structure the call, this framework works well:
“Hi [name], I’m considering hiring [contractor] for a [type of project] and they gave me your name as a reference. Do you have a few minutes? I just have a handful of questions.”
Then work through: project type and scope → on time? → on budget? → communication? → any problems? → how handled? → would you hire again? → anything you wish you’d known?
The whole call should take about ten minutes. It’s ten minutes that could save you months of frustration.
Related Questions
- Questions to Ask a General Contractor Before Signing Anything
- Questions to Ask a General Contractor About Licensing and Insurance
- Questions to Ask When Getting a Renovation Quote from a Contractor
- Red Flags When Hiring a General Contractor
- Questions to Ask When Your Contractor Goes Over Budget