As their job title suggests, your exterior contractor will present you with a contract before they begin working on your home. It might look lengthy, but it’s more than the long part of an instruction manual you’re tempted to skip over; it contains some seriously important stuff and is, in fact, a legal agreement with your home exterior contractor.

Thus, of course you want to read it and understand it—but what important information are you looking for within? Perfect Exteriors, your Monticello team of siding contractors and roofing services providers, discusses a few key points of interest that show up in pretty much every exterior pro’s contract below.

The Scope of the Exterior Contractor’s Work

Whether you’ve hired storm damage repair pros or a siding installation team, their contract will present you with the same thing: the scope of the work. In plainer terms, this is what, exactly, the exterior contractor will be doing to your home—no more, no less. It cannot be edited unless the lengthy process of securing a change order is undertaken.

Make sure you’re ok with this before signing anything, and don’t be afraid to speak up if you aren’t! Good contractors will handle any questions or concerns with grace.

Lengthwise, this contract section can vary, depending on the complexity of the job or if it requires subcontractors. Generally, the more detailed it is, the better. Everything from material to color should be written out to ensure you get a renovation you love. The California Department of Consumer Affairs touches on the importance of this in their resource “A Consumer Guide to Home Improvement Contracts.”

Payment Times

It’s a sticky topic, but one that needs to be discussed: money. In your home exterior contractor’s documents, you’ll find a proposed payment schedule which dictates when the contractor should finish a given task—and when you’ll be expected to pay for it. Having this all out on the table now makes sure nothing gets lost in the shuffle later on, and that nobody is caught by surprise.

It almost goes without saying, but you should never be expected to pay in full for a project that is yet unfinished.

A Rough Schedule

Your exterior home contractor should present you with an estimated finish time, as well as when they expect to reach certain waypoints or deadlines. Keep in mind this should be flexible to an extent; sometimes things beyond your exterior contractor’s control, like shipping delays or foul weather, can set the project back slightly.

Perfect Exteriors: Your Perfectly Comprehensive Exterior Contractors

Roofers, siding installation pros, storm damage repairs—you name it and we’ve got the skills and staff to get the job done. Give our Monticello office a call today at 763-271-8700.