1. Who will be my main point of contact?
Ask who manages the project, who provides updates and how to reach the team with an urgent question. If mitigation and reconstruction have different leads, find out how that handoff will work. A named contact helps prevent important decisions from getting lost between calls, site visits and emails.
For commercial or multifamily work, identify who is authorized to approve access and scope changes. Property owners, managers and occupants may need different updates. Agreeing on those responsibilities early makes communication easier.
2. What is included in the written scope?
A useful scope explains the affected areas, proposed work and exclusions. Ask how the team will handle conditions discovered after work begins. Do not assume that an emergency response authorization includes the entire rebuild or that every finish selection is already priced.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends written estimates that describe the work, materials, completion date and price. It also recommends checking contractor credentials and comparing estimates. Use those details to understand differences between proposals, rather than comparing only the bottom-line number.
3. Can you manage mitigation and reconstruction?
Some projects need immediate stabilization followed by a substantial rebuild. Ask whether the company manages both phases, what work is handled by other trades and who coordinates the overall schedule. If separate contractors are involved, define the handoff before the first phase is complete.
For a damaged kitchen or bathroom, also ask who coordinates cabinetry, flooring, fixtures and finish selections. A complete reconstruction plan should address the whole affected space. Our guide to mitigation and reconstruction explains how the stages differ.
4. What documentation will I receive?
Ask about the written scope, estimate, progress updates, photographs and records relevant to the work. For an insurance-related project, ask how the contractor communicates scope questions to the carrier or adjuster and what information you may need to provide.
MTH brings experience working with insurance carriers and adjusters, including Xactimate estimating and project documentation. Ask your insurer directly about coverage, deductibles and claim decisions; a contractor cannot guarantee those outcomes.
5. What can change the schedule or price?
Request a realistic sequence of work and discuss decisions that could affect it. Material availability, selections, approvals and newly discovered damage can all influence a project. Ask when you need to make selections and how a proposed change will be documented before additional work proceeds.
A written change process should identify the added or revised work and its effect on price and timing. Keep a copy of approvals with your project records so everyone is working from the same expectations.
6. How will we review the finished work?
Ask what the final walkthrough covers, how remaining items will be recorded and who follows up. Clarify which care instructions, product details and applicable warranty information will be provided. These questions are easier to resolve before work starts than at the end of a project.
Start with a clear conversation
MTH supports residential, commercial and multifamily properties across West Georgia & Greater Metro Atlanta. Whether you need damage mitigation or reconstruction and remodeling, our goal is a clear scope, professional work and communication throughout the project.