How to Call a Contractor: Script, Questions, and Exit Lines

Bottom line: a good contractor call takes under 10 minutes if you lead with a tight brief, ask the same core questions every time, and never agree to anything on the call itself. Here's the exact script.

Before you dial: the 30-second brief

Write down four things — you'll say them in the first breath of the call:

• What's wrong (the symptom): “gas water heater, leaking from the bottom”
• Where you are (city / neighborhood)
• When you need it (emergency / this week / flexible)
• What you want from the call: an itemized written estimate

The word-for-word opening

“Hi, my name is ___. I have a [symptom] at my home in [area]. I'm collecting a few written estimates this week. Can I tell you the details in about a minute, and would you be able to email me an itemized estimate?”

This opening does three things: signals you're comparing (which keeps pricing honest), respects their time, and sets the deliverable — a written, itemized estimate.

The 20 questions worth asking

About the job (ask all of these)

1. Have you done this exact repair recently?
2. What's your rough price range for a job like this?
3. What could make it cost more once you're on site?
4. Is a permit needed, and who pulls it?
5. How soon could you start, and how long will it take?

About the business (ask at least 1, 2, and 3)

1. What's your contractor license number?
2. Do you carry liability insurance and workers' comp?
3. What warranty do you offer on labor and parts?
4. Will your own crew do the work, or subcontractors?
5. Can you share a recent local reference?

About the money

1. Is the estimate itemized — labor, materials, fees separate?
2. What deposit do you require? (10–30% is normal)
3. What payment methods do you accept?
4. Does the price include haul-away and cleanup?
5. How do you handle change orders if scope grows?

Situational (use when relevant)

1. Emergency: what's your after-hours rate?
2. Older home: any concerns with [asbestos / knob-and-tube / galvanized pipe]?
3. Materials: can I supply my own fixture/unit, and does that change warranty?
4. Access: anything you need from me before the visit?
5. Timing: is there a cheaper time of year for this work?

How to end the call without committing

“Thanks — this was really helpful. I'm finishing my other estimates this week, so please email the itemized quote and I'll get back to you either way by [day].”

If you feel pressure — “this price is only good today” — that's your answer about the contractor, not about the price. A fair bid survives a week.

Keep the script, skip the dread

The script above is the whole trick: same brief, same questions, same exit line, for every contractor. Ten minutes a call, three to five calls, one evening. Prefer not to call at all? FixerUp's marketplace at fixerupus.com lets you describe the job once and hear back from vetted local pros in writing.

About this guide: Fixa published it while Fixa was a homeowner service that made these calls for you. That service is being retired — Fixa is now an app for service pros — but the advice stands, so we're keeping it online.