Find a Contractor & Tips for Contractor Selection

Many home improvement projects and upgrades start with finding a qualified contractor. NYSERDA not only offers advice on finding the right contractor but maintains a statewide list of contractors approved to work in NYSERDA’s programs. Using one of our approved contractors helps ensure professional, high-quality work.

NYSERDA-Approved Contractors

NYSERDA partners with contractors who are trained and certified to deliver the highest-quality energy efficiency services for your home. We partner with specialized contractors such as those focused on home energy assessments, residential solar project experts, and contractors installing and servicing heating and cooling systems.

Tips for Contractor Selection

Use the below five-step guide to help find the right contractor.

Step 1: Get Recommendations

• Ask friends, neighbors, and coworkers who recently completed a home efficiency project for recommendations. Word of mouth is a great place to start.
• Take a look at online resources you trust that post ratings and reviews of contractors.
• Compile a list of at least three potential contractors.

Step 2: Research Credentials

• Check for qualifications, such as licensing and insurance. For example, some municipalities require contractors to be licensed and will provide a list of licensed contractors on their website.

Step 3: Interview Candidates

• Conduct phone or in-person interviews with at least three contractors.
• Ask detailed questions, such as:
  • How long have you been in business?
  • What services do you specialize in?
  • Are you a BPI Gold Star contractor? What professional certifications do your employees maintain?
  • How many projects like mine have you completed in the last year?
  • Can you provide a list of references?
  • How many other projects would you have going on at the same time as my project?
  • What types of insurance do you carry? Contractors should have personal liability, workers’ compensation, and property damage coverage.
  • Can you provide a certificate of insurance?
  • Will you use any subcontractors on this project?
  • What is your customer complaint resolution policy?

Step 4: Ask for Estimates

• Get written, itemized estimates from the final candidates. Estimates should be sufficiently detailed so you can easily compare bids from different contractors.
• Don’t automatically choose the lowest bidder. You should consider experience and quality of work. These can be reasons for the higher bid.
• Ask for an explanation to see if there’s a reason for major differences in price.

Step 5: Check References

• Checking references for your list of final candidates will give you the confidence to make a final decision.
• Ask references detailed questions such as:
  • Were you satisfied with the contractor’s work?
  • Was the work completed on time and on budget?