How to hire a home improvement contractor

How to hire a home improvement contractor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step home improvement contractor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a home improvement contractor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new home improvement contractor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a home improvement contractor job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The home improvement contractor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect home improvement contractor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of home improvement contractors.

   Type of Home Improvement Contractor	Description	Hourly rate
   Home Improvement Contractor		$16-34
   Crew Leader	Crew leaders are restaurant workers who act as the team leader of the restaurant's crew. They are usually tenured employees with leadership skills who are respected by the team... Show more	$12-24
   Electrical Foreman	An electrical foreman is a professional who is responsible for supervising power linesmen and electricians in the installation, repair, and maintenance of electrical power lines or electrical systems. Electrical foremen conduct periodic inspections at a construction site to ensure that materials and supplies are available... Show more	$17-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Strong Customer Service
   • Customer Service
   • Ladders
   • Sales Floor
   • Plumbing
   • Drywall Repair
   • Roofing
   • Caulking
   • Remodel
   • Family Business
   • Door Installation
   • Sheetrock
   • HVAC
   • Hardwood Floors

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train and manage new cooks and dishwashers and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
   • Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulks, putty, plaster, or fillers, using caulking guns.
   • Conduct carpentry work, specializing in flooring, painting, and tiling.
   • Complete various home improvement, landscaping, renovation, HVAC, and logging jobs.
   • Replace or repair drywall: tapes, beds and textures; patch holes in plaster or sheetrock.
   • Apply paints, to exterior and interior building surfaces such as plaster, sheetrock, concrete and wood.

   More home improvement contractor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your home improvement contractor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A home improvement contractor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, home improvement contractors' average salary in idaho is 55% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level home improvement contractors 53% less than senior-level home improvement contractors.
   • Certifications. A home improvement contractor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a home improvement contractor's salary.

   Average home improvement contractor salary

   $50,140yearly

   $24.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level home improvement contractor salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 28, 2026

   Average home improvement contractor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$75,657	$36
   2	Rhode Island	$64,098	$31
   3	Illinois	$62,562	$30
   4	Maryland	$62,431	$30
   5	Missouri	$62,353	$30
   6	Georgia	$61,918	$30
   7	Kentucky	$61,070	$29
   8	Florida	$59,175	$28
   9	Ohio	$59,147	$28
   10	Minnesota	$58,545	$28
   11	Pennsylvania	$58,402	$28
   12	Michigan	$57,675	$28
   13	Wisconsin	$57,073	$27
   14	Delaware	$56,330	$27
   15	Indiana	$54,346	$26
   16	Colorado	$52,017	$25
   17	South Dakota	$51,115	$25
   18	Maine	$50,746	$24
   19	North Carolina	$50,577	$24
   20	Alabama	$50,490	$24

   Average home improvement contractor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Dynamics	$76,143	$36.61
   2	Shiretown Glass & Home Center	$50,824	$24.43
   3	RF	$50,401	$24.23
   4	Handyman Connection	$50,119	$24.10	89
   5	Momentum Solar	$49,991	$24.03
   6	Servpro	$49,752	$23.92	19
   7	Americorps	$48,950	$23.53
   8	Liveops	$48,396	$23.27
   9	Grand Furniture	$46,316	$22.27
   10	Erie Homes for Children and Adults	$45,529	$21.89	88
   11	Options Family & Behavior Services	$41,074	$19.75
   12	Amazon	$40,118	$19.29	41

4. Writing a home improvement contractor job description

   A good home improvement contractor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a home improvement contractor job description:

   Home improvement contractor job description example

   Erie Home announces yet another new expansion location into the Huntsville, AL area as it continues it’s vast nationwide market expansion as the fastest growing home improvement company in the United States! Boasting 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google by consumers, employee ratings of 4.3 on Indeed and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Glassdoor respectively. Erie also maintains an A+ rating with the BBB.

   Unique Sales Position for Motivated Individual:

   • $100,000+ Income expectation

   • LEADS PROVIDED - Absolutely No Cold Calling

   • $3,000 sign-on “Quick Start Bonus”

   • Aggressive Commission Schedule | $2,000 per sale average

   • Lucrative Bonuses paid every 4 weeks

   • World-class, paid Training

   • Performance-based Rewards

   • Advancement & realistic, upward mobility

   Nationally recognized, Industry Leader, “fastest-growing”, and an actual “Legend” in the Home Improvement Industry, are all that describes what we are. Who we are, is a collection of fun, motivated, like-minded people all experiencing the next level together. Erie HOME has grown from $40M in annual sales - to an astounding $450M in just 5 recent years. Record-expansion targets and our national footprint across the U.S. is growing by the day.

   100% of our current management team began their careers as entry-level Sales Representatives because we believe that leadership comes from those within the ranks, individuals that are loyal, hard-working and proven. Erie is a goal-oriented, forward-moving, expectation-shattering company that has based itself on equally prioritizing the idea of enhancement, for both our clients and ourselves.

   Our "Veterans Initiative" encourages former U.S. Military to apply!

   Visit us: workaterie.com

   Erie Home does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, any other applicable federal, state or local protected class or other non-merit factor. If, because of a disability, you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

   Powered by JazzHR

   mELQ6v7zEL

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find home improvement contractors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your home improvement contractor job on Zippia to find and recruit home improvement contractor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting home improvement contractors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new home improvement contractor

   Once you've selected the best home improvement contractor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new home improvement contractor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a home improvement contractor?