A contractor’s portfolio shows you what they want you to see. Previous clients tell you what actually happened between the before and after photos.

By speaking to people who’ve already worked with the contractor, you can ask practical questions: Did they stick to budget reasonably? How did they behave when unexpected problems showed up? Were they reachable? Did they respect timelines, or were delays constant? How was the quality six months or a year later?

You’ll quickly pick up patterns. If multiple people say, “They were late but very honest and fixed things properly,” you know what to expect. If you hear stories of disappearing teams, poor communication or unfinished work, that’s a big warning sign.

No project is perfect, but a contractor who has handled issues fairly in the past is more likely to do so again. That knowledge can save you a lot of stress, arguments and regret.