If any of the above conditions apply, the home owner may, in the event of a lawsuit, be found to be acting as their own general contractor and could be responsible for anything that happens to the subcontractors, or their employees during the course of their work. If your contractor tells you that he or she has Workers Compensation, get a copy of the certificate of the insurance policy with yourself named as the certificate holder before the job begins. Keep this document with your written contract and other important paperwork pertaining to your project. Service and Warranties Make a special effort to learn what type of customer service and warranty protection contractors offer. Do not wait until after you have purchased a house to find out how to correct problems.
Most builders offer some form of written warranty.
Find out the length of the warranty, if an insurance company and what procedure to follow if a problem arises back it. Many contractors back their own warranties on workmanship and materials, typically for one year. A warranty backed by insurance costs more, but it offers long-range protection. When choosing a contractor, be thorough and ask a lot of questions. Get as many specifics as possible.