10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor in Pune
The answers to these will tell you more about a contractor than any brochure. Ask them before you pay an advance, not after.
Choosing a contractor is the single decision that determines how the next year of your life goes. Here are the questions worth asking, and what a good answer sounds like.
1. Can I see the built-up area calculation?
Why it matters: the area is half the price. If plinth, parking and terrace percentages are not written down, the final bill can move considerably.
Good answer: a written breakdown, floor by floor, with the percentages stated.
2. What material rates have you considered?
Why it matters: "tiles included" means nothing without a rate. Rs. 35/sq.ft and Rs. 100/sq.ft are both "included".
Good answer: a table of rates considered for tiles, granite, plumbing fittings, railings and grills.
3. Which brands will you use?
Why it matters: steel, cement, waterproofing chemicals, pipes, wiring and CP fittings vary enormously in quality.
Good answer: brands named in writing, with "or equivalent" defined rather than left open.
4. What is not included?
Why it matters: exclusions are where the arguments happen.
Good answer: a clear list — compound wall, landscaping, facade work, water tank, utility connections, and so on. A contractor who says "everything is included" has not read their own quotation.
5. How is payment linked to work?
Why it matters: payments tied to dates rather than stages put the risk entirely on you.
Good answer: a stage-wise schedule — advance, after plinth, after each slab, after brickwork, after plaster, before painting, on handover.
6. How long will it take, and what happens if it slips?
Why it matters: every project slips a little. You want to know how much and why.
Good answer: a realistic duration in months from commencement, and an honest explanation of what causes delays — usually material decisions and monsoon.
7. Can I visit a site you are working on now?
Why it matters: finished photographs are easy. A live site shows you how they actually work — safety, storage, cleanliness, supervision.
Good answer: yes, and this week.
8. Can I speak to a client from two years ago?
Why it matters: anyone can produce a happy client at handover. The interesting question is what happened when something needed fixing afterwards.
Good answer: a name and number, without hesitation.
9. Who supervises day to day, and how often will they be there?
Why it matters: you are not buying a brand, you are buying a site engineer's attention.
Good answer: a named person, and a realistic answer about how many sites they run.
10. Do you have a GST registration?
Why it matters: it tells you the business is formally constituted, and it matters for your own records.
Good answer: a GSTIN on the quotation itself.
One more thing
Notice how many of these are answered simply by a properly written quotation. If a contractor hands you a single page with a rate and a total, you have learned something before you have asked a single question.
We are happy to answer all ten for our own work — ask us.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before paying an advance to a contractor?
A written built-up area calculation, the material rates considered, the brands named for steel, cement, waterproofing, pipes, fittings and paint, and a stage-wise payment schedule tied to completed work rather than dates.
How should payments be structured during house construction?
By stage, not by date — typically an advance, then payments after plinth, after each RCC slab, after brickwork, after plaster, before painting, and on handover. This keeps payment tied to work you can see.
Should I ask to visit a contractor's ongoing site?
Yes. Finished photographs are easy to produce; a live site shows how a contractor actually works — supervision, material storage, safety and cleanliness. A contractor with nothing to hide will arrange it the same week.
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Where we build
Planning to build in Pune?
We prepare written quotations with the built-up area calculation, material rates, brands and a stage-wise payment schedule set out in full — so you can compare honestly.