You’ve found a contractor, you’ve reviewed a quote, and someone’s sliding a contract across the desk. Before you pick up that pen, slow down, not because the contractor can’t be trusted, but because a signed contract is a bad time to discover you and the GC have different ideas about what the job actually includes.

These questions aren’t about playing hardball. They’re how you vet a general contractor before the work starts, so the project runs the way you both expect.

1. What exactly is and isn’t in scope?

This is the most important question on the list, and it’s one most first-time clients skip.

Read the scope of work carefully, then ask the contractor to walk you through it out loud. Where are the defined boundaries? What finishes are included and at what grade? Who’s responsible for existing conditions if something unexpected turns up in the walls or ceiling? Are permits included, or are they listed as an additional cost?

Get specific. “Washroom renovation” means very different things to different people. If the contract says it and you assumed it was included, you’re in good shape. If you just assumed, you’re setting yourself up for a change order.

2. Who will actually be on site?

A good way to vet a general contractor is to ask who will actually run the job day to day. The person who wins the contract and the person running the job are often different people, sometimes very different.

• Ask who your site superintendent will be. 
• Ask how much time they’ll spend on your project, especially if your build is smaller or running alongside a larger one. 
• Ask whether any of the trades are in-house or all subcontracted, and who the primary subcontractors are for the major scopes (electrical, mechanical, drywall).

A good GC won’t be defensive about this. A great one will introduce you to the site team before the project starts.

3. How do you handle changes?

On almost every commercial project, something changes. The question isn’t whether a change order will happen; it’s what the process looks like when it does.

Ask how changes are identified, priced, and communicated. Who on their team issues the change order, and what do you need to provide to authorize it? Ask what happens if an unexpected condition is found during demolition: are you called before work continues, or does the crew keep moving and you get a bill?

A contractor who has a clear, consistent change order process is one who’s done this before. Vague answers here are a warning sign.

4. What’s your permitting process for this type of project?

In BC, tenant improvements and commercial build-outs almost always require permits. But the permitting process, how long it takes, who applies, and what’s needed, varies significantly depending on the municipality and project type.

Ask whether permit applications are included in the quote. Ask who manages the drawings and coordination with the City. If you’re hiring a GC who doesn’t regularly work in your municipality, ask whether they’ve pulled permits there before, as different municipalities have their own review processes and timelines.

Permits aren’t a detail to sort out later. They’re the legal foundation for the work, and a delayed permit can push your entire construction schedule

5. What does the schedule look like, and what can move it?

Get a projected schedule in writing. It doesn’t have to be an hour-by-hour Gantt chart, but it should show key milestones like demolition, rough-in inspections, drywall, finishes, substantial completion, and handover.

Then ask what can move it. Permit delays? Long-lead materials? A busy trades schedule? Understanding the risks upfront lets you plan around them. If you have a hard deadline, a lease obligation, a business opening, or a handover date, say so clearly and ask whether the schedule can support it.

6. How will we communicate during the project?

This varies more than people expect. Some contractors send weekly written updates, some prefer a site walkthrough every few days, some use project management software, and others rely on texts and phone calls.

Neither approach is wrong, but you need to know what you’re getting. Ask who your primary point of contact is for day-to-day questions. If something goes sideways on a Friday afternoon, who do you call? Ask how site access works if you want to visit during construction.

Clear communication structures don’t just reduce stress; they reduce disputes.

7. How are lien holdbacks and payments structured?

In BC, the Builders Lien Act requires that 10% of each payment be held back until the lien period following project completion has passed. This isn’t optional, and it applies whether you’re doing a $30,000 tenant improvement or a $3 million build-out.

Ask how the draw schedule is structured, what triggers each payment, and how invoicing is handled. Ask whether there’s a process for deficiencies to be addressed before the final holdback is released. Any licensed general contractor working in BC should be able to explain this clearly. If they can’t, that’s worth noting.

8. Can you provide references from similar projects?

References are one of the most reliable ways to vet a general contractor, but only if you’re asking the right questions. Not just a list of names but references from projects that actually resemble yours with a similar size, similar sector, and similar type of space.

A GC who’s done dozens of office TIs might not be the right fit for a dental build-out with infection control requirements and medical gas rough-ins. A contractor experienced in restaurant fit-outs thinks about ventilation, grease interceptors, and hood suppression in ways a general office contractor might not.

Ask for two or three references and actually call them. Ask those clients whether the project came in on budget, whether the site team communicated well, and whether they’d hire the same contractor again.

The Bottom Line

Signing a contract with a general contractor is the start of a working relationship that’ll run for weeks or months. Knowing how to vet a general contractor before signing protects you and sets the project up for success.

A contractor who handles these questions clearly, without getting defensive, is one who’s done this enough times to know that alignment upfront is better for everyone. That’s the contractor worth signing with.

Gibraltar Construction has been delivering commercial tenant improvements, ground-up builds, and construction management services across BC since 1993. If you’re planning a commercial project and want to talk through scope, timeline, or how the process works, contact our team.