Letting Someone Into Your Home: 6 Questions Worth Asking First

Every home repair starts with something people rarely say out loud: you're about to let someone you've never met walk through your house.

For plenty of people that's routine. For plenty of others — living alone, home with small kids, an older parent in the house — it's the actual reason a repair keeps getting postponed.

These are the questions worth asking. Not just of me. Of anyone.

1. Who is actually coming, and will it be the same person who quoted it?

This is the one most people skip, and it matters more than any other. Plenty of home service work is quoted by one person and performed by someone else entirely, sometimes a subcontractor the company itself has never met.

A good answer names a person. You should know who's arriving before they arrive.

At EasyFix, I quote it and I do it. If that ever changes as the business grows, you'll be told who's coming before the day.

2. Are you insured — and can I see it?

Ask for the certificate. Anyone carrying real coverage can produce it in about a minute, because they get asked constantly.

Watch the wording here. "Insured" and "licensed" are different things, and they get blended together in advertising a lot. Insurance is what protects your property if something goes wrong. That's the one you actually want confirmed.

3. "Licensed" — licensed by whom, exactly?

Here's something most Illinois homeowners don't know: there is no state general contractor license in Illinois. The state licenses specific trades like plumbers and roofers, but general contracting is handled at the city or county level, not by the state.

So when a company advertises itself as a "licensed Illinois general contractor," that phrase doesn't correspond to a thing that exists. Usually what they hold is a municipal registration from one specific city.

The useful question isn't "are you licensed." It's "what registration do you hold, and where?"

EasyFix is a registered LLC, insured, and holds an Arlington Heights municipal general contractor registration. I'd rather tell you exactly that than use a word that sounds bigger and means less.

4. Can I reach you directly, or do I go through a system?

You want a real point of contact — a number where you reach a person who knows your job, not a form that disappears into a queue.

Larger operations have offices and schedulers, and that's completely normal. The thing to confirm is that you can get an actual answer about your job when you need one, and that you're not stuck re-explaining it from scratch every time.

5. What's the price, and when do I pay it?

You should have a number before work begins, not after. And a deposit request before anyone has looked at the job — in person or by photo — is worth pausing on.

My own approach: flat rate quoted up front, payment when the work is finished and you've looked at it.

6. What happens if something isn't right?

Ask before, not after. A warranty that only exists as a word on a website isn't a warranty.

Mine is six months on workmanship. If something I repaired or installed fails because of how I did it, I come back and fix it.

A few things worth trusting yourself on

Ask for the certificate of insurance by email before the visit — you'll have it in writing. Have someone else home if that makes you more comfortable; nobody reasonable will find that strange. And if a conversation feels off before anyone has arrived, that's information. You're allowed to book someone else.

None of these questions are rude. Anyone who treats them as an inconvenience has told you something useful.

— Kate with EasyFix Handyman Services

Common Questions

Should I ask a contractor for proof of insurance?

Yes, and asking for the actual certificate rather than a yes-or-no answer is the useful version. Anyone carrying real coverage can send the document, because they get asked for it constantly.

Is there a state general contractor license in Illinois?

No. Illinois licenses specific trades such as plumbing and roofing, but general contracting is regulated at the city or county level, not statewide. A company advertising a “licensed Illinois general contractor” status is describing something the state doesn't issue.

What does “registered” mean for a handyman in Illinois?

It usually refers to a municipal registration held with a specific city, plus a registered business entity. EasyFix is a registered LLC, insured, and holds an Arlington Heights municipal general contractor registration.

Is it rude to ask who will actually be in my home?

Not at all, and it's one of the most useful questions you can ask. You should know who's arriving before they arrive.