Contractor interviews
What to ask, what to verify, and what an interview can and can't decide
A contractor interview is the board's chance to check licensing, communication, and fit before signing, not to simply compare prices. It typically follows a request for qualifications, once the board has narrowed a list of capable firms. No rule requires awarding the contract to whoever interviews best or bids lowest, only to whoever the board judges best for the project.
The interview comes after the screening, not instead of it
By the time a board sits across a table from a contractor, the heavy screening work should already be behind it. A request for qualifications exists to filter the field before anyone talks price.
"An essential tool used in the construction industry to invite contractors, architects, subcontractors, and consultants to submit qualification statements," used to ensure "that only qualified professionals are considered for the next stages of the project, such as bidding or contract negotiation."
Source: Request for Qualifications, what are they used for, American Institute of Architects
If your board skipped straight from a phone number to an interview, that qualifications work is now happening live, in the room, instead of on paper beforehand. Either way, the interview's job is to confirm what's on paper and ask how this specific firm would handle this specific project: an unexpected structural finding, a schedule slip, a homeowner who won't move their car. See Request for qualifications for how that earlier stage works.
Verify the license before you talk about anything else
A contractor's word that they're licensed is not proof. State licensing boards exist precisely so a board doesn't have to take that word on faith.
"Protects consumers by regulating the construction industry through policies that promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public in matters relating to construction, including home improvement."
Source: About Us, California Contractors State License Board
California's board offers a tool that lets anyone "look up a contractor license or Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration to verify information, including complaint disclosure."
"Look up a contractor license or Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration to verify information, including complaint disclosure."
Source: Check a License tool, California Contractors State License Board
Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation runs a comparable public lookup for licenses and complaint history. Which agency, which tool, and what it lets you check varies by state. Find your own state's board before the interview, not after. See Contractor licensing for more on this step.
What the interview should decide, and what it shouldn't
There's no standard-setter that defines how to run a contractor interview, this is common board practice, not a codified process. What it should not become is a live negotiation for the lowest number. Boards are not required to award to the cheapest bidder, and in states with a bidding statute, that's written in plainly.
"[N]othing contained in this section shall be construed to require the association to accept the lowest bid."
Source: Florida Statutes, section 720.3055, The Florida Senate
Whether your state has a bidding statute at all, and what threshold triggers it, varies. Florida requires competitive bids above a share of the association's budget; other states, including California, have no statewide bidding mandate. Check your own state statute and your governing documents. The interview is where you weigh price against everything the paperwork can't tell you: how the firm communicates, how it has handled surprises before, and whether you trust it on your property for months. See Lowest bid vs best value and Competitive bidding.
Check yourself
Answer before you read the explanation, recalling it is what makes it stick.
Your HOA is in a state with no statewide bidding statute. During interviews, the lowest priced contractor gives vague answers about handling schedule delays. What should guide the board's decision?
A contractor tells the board their license is "in process" and offers to start work while the paperwork clears. What should the board do?
Before scheduling interviews, the board issued a request for qualifications rather than a request for proposal. What does that sequencing tell you about this stage of selection?
Sources
- Request for Qualifications, what are they used for, American Institute of Architects
- Florida Statutes, section 720.3055, The Florida Senate
- About Us, California Contractors State License Board
- Check a License tool, California Contractors State License Board
- Construction Industry Licensing Board, public records lookup, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
- California Civil Code, section 5620, California Legislative Information
Capital Projects
Next, see how the board narrows a field down to the firms worth interviewing in the first place: Request for qualifications.
Whether your state requires competitive bidding before this stage, and which agency lets you verify a contractor's license, both vary by state. Check your own state's licensing board and your governing documents before you interview or sign.