Five questions before anyone opens a wall
What to ask, and what a straight answer sounds like.
Who is the qualifying party on the licence, and will they be on this job? A straight answer is a name. A dodge is “we’re fully licensed and insured” with no number.
What is included, and what will become a change order? The good quotes in this directory say what they will not do. Cabinet painting that excludes the ceiling is a better quote than a round number and a smile.
When does the diagnostic fee get credited? Most visits on these profiles are $70–150 and come off the repair if you hire them. If someone will not put that in writing, you have learned something useful for the price of a question.
Who pulls the permit? In Phoenix, panel upgrades, water heaters, and most HVAC replacements need one. “The last house didn’t” is not a plan.
What does the invoice have to say for you to be able to review them here? It has to match the job. Tell them that up front. People who do careful work are not offended.