If DIY travertine installation isn’t your cup of tea and you’d rather put your trust in a professional, you should ask plenty of questions to find out whether the individual is qualified. When you’re hiring someone to take on a travertine installation project, whether it’s travertine tiles or travertine pavers, it’s important to find the right person for the job to ensure that your home or yard is in good hands.

Here’s the second part of our list of the top 10 questions to ask potential contractors.

6. Who will be in charge once the project starts?
It’s essential to know who your main contact will be once the project gets underway. Sometimes contractors supervise in person, while others use superintendents or foremen to handle the details. Rocky Mountain Bathrooms pointed out that the person (or people) in charge should be present whenever there’s work being done – particularly if they’re using sub-contractors.

You should feel comfortable with this person, especially if you don’t plan to be in the house for the entire time that your home or yard is being worked on.

7. Will you take care of the required building permits?
Most licensed contractors will have no problem acquiring the necessary permits to keep the project up to code. Some might hesitate to do so because it can add time to the project and increase the cost, but it’s important to make sure that your home passes an inspection. Most homeowner insurance policies only cover your house for work that’s done properly, so permits are a must.

If your contractor is hesitant to pull the permits him- or herself or asks you to obtain the permits, you may want to think again before hiring the individual. This could mean that the work is outside of the person’s license or the contractor doesn’t have a license to begin with.

8. What’s our projected timeline and schedule?
Before you hire someone, you should ask how long he or she thinks the project will take and what the work schedule will be like. While some things can’t be planned for, a good contractor will be able to give you a specific time frame. It’s also important to know which days your house or yard will be worked on and at what time so you can plan accordingly. This also shows that the contractor is organized and reliable.

9. Will you sign a “time and materials” contract?
To make sure that the project gets finished on time and you’re not paying more for issues that pop up and extra materials, it’s a good idea to ask your potential contractor to sign a time and materials contract. According to Patio Enclosures, this will state the labor rate and material markup of anything that happens unexpectedly. If you’re not sure how to write one up, look for examples online.

10. What’s your payment schedule?
All contractors are different, so they may have various payment schedules, but the important thing to keep in mind is that you should never pay for the project entirely up front. The final payment shouldn’t be made until the project is finished, it’s been inspected and you’re happy with it.