20 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Hurricane Shutter Contractor

Licensing & Insurance Questions Product & Code Compliance Questi Permit & Inspection Questions Contract & Payment Questions Installation & Timeline Question ❓ FAQ

Quick summary

Most homeowners get at least one bad contractor quote. Some get burned badly. The difference between a smooth installation and a nightmare usually comes down to the questions you ask — and when you ask them — before signing a contract. Here are the 20 questions that matter most.

Licensing & Insurance Questions

Ask these before you discuss anything else. A contractor who hesitates on these questions is a red flag.

"What is your contractor license number?"
Write it down. Then verify it yourself at your state's licensing board website. Don't accept "I'll send it over" — get it on the spot. Use our verify contractor tool.
"Do you carry general liability insurance and workers compensation?"
Ask for the certificate. If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor has no workers comp, you may be liable. Ask your homeowner's insurance agent if you're unsure.
"How long has your company been operating under this license?"
A license held for 6 months is different from one held for 10 years. New licenses aren't automatically bad, but they warrant additional due diligence.
"Are you the license holder or is someone else?"
Some companies operate under a license holder who is rarely on site. Know who is legally responsible for the work.

Product & Code Compliance Questions

"What is the Florida Product Approval number for the product you're recommending?"
Every code-compliant product has an FL number. If they can't give you one, the product may not be code-approved.
"Is this product rated for my county's wind zone?"
The product approval specifies the maximum design wind speed. Make sure it covers your county's requirement — especially if you're in Miami-Dade or Broward HVHZ.
"Does this product carry Miami-Dade NOA?"
Ask this if you're in Miami-Dade or Broward County. Required by law.
"What size configurations are covered by the product approval for my openings?"
A product approval covers specific size ranges. If your opening is outside those ranges, a custom solution is needed — and that changes the price and approval status.

Permit & Inspection Questions

"Will you pull the permit?"
The answer should always be yes. Never pull your own permit for a contractor — it transfers liability to you. A contractor who asks you to pull the permit is a major red flag.
"What does the permit cover and what will the inspection check?"
A good contractor can explain exactly what the county inspector will verify. If they seem vague about the inspection process, that's a warning sign.
"How long does the permit process take in my county?"
Permit timelines vary from a few days to 4–6 weeks. Know this upfront so you can plan realistically, especially before hurricane season.

Contract & Payment Questions

"What does your written contract include?"
At minimum: scope of work, specific product with model number and FL approval number, total price, payment schedule, start date, completion date, permit responsibility, and warranty terms.
"What is your payment structure?"
A typical structure is 10–30% deposit, balance on completion after inspection passes. Never pay more than 50% upfront. Full payment before inspection is a red flag.
"What is your warranty — labor and product separately?"
Manufacturer product warranties (5–10 years typically) are separate from the contractor's labor warranty (1–2 years is standard). Get both in writing.
"What happens if the job goes over the quoted price?"
Change orders should require written authorization. A contractor who can freely increase your price is a risk.

Installation & Timeline Questions

"Who will be on site doing the work — your employees or subcontractors?"
Subcontractors are common and not automatically a problem. But know whether the people doing the work are covered by the contractor's insurance and license.
"How long will the installation take?"
A whole-house accordion shutter install on a typical 2,000 sq ft home takes 1–3 days. If they say one day, ask how many installers will be on site.
"What do I need to do to prepare?"
Move furniture, clear exterior access, be home for final walkthrough — get this in writing so there are no surprises.
"What is your process if something needs to be corrected after installation?"
Ask specifically: "If the inspector finds an issue, who pays for the correction and how quickly will you fix it?"
"Can you provide references from jobs completed in the last 12 months in my county?"
Recent references in your specific county mean they know local code and inspector requirements. Old references or references from a different county are less useful.

💡 Pro tip: Use our cost calculator before meeting any contractor. Knowing the ballpark price for your home prevents you from being anchored to the first number a contractor gives you.

The scenarios below are illustrative composites based on documented market patterns, FEMA post-storm data, and OIR wind mitigation discount schedules. They represent realistic outcomes, not specific individuals.

Broward County — The Contractor Who Couldn't Name the Product

When Margaret decided to install accordion shutters on her Pompano Beach home in 2022, she got four quotes. Three contractors gave her written quotes specifying manufacturer name, model, and FL approval number. The fourth — and lowest at $10,200 — gave her a one-page quote that said simply 'accordion shutters, whole house, includes permit and labor.'

Margaret asked the fourth contractor for the product name and FL approval number. He said he'd get it to her. She followed up twice by email. Each time he responded with vague references to 'manufacturer-certified products' and 'current code approval.' She never received a specific product name.

She went with the third-lowest quote instead — $11,800, with a fully specified product. Post-installation, a neighbor who had used the lowest-bidding contractor two years earlier told her his shutters had failed a wind mitigation inspection because the installed product was a discontinued model whose FL approval had expired. He paid $4,200 to have compliant shutters installed on four openings. 'The price difference between the third and fourth quotes was $1,600,' Margaret said. 'My neighbor's fix cost $4,200.'

What this means for your home: A contractor who cannot or will not name the specific product they intend to install is a red flag. Every legitimate quote should include the manufacturer name, model or product line, and FL approval number before you sign anything. If a contractor provides this information after signing — or not at all — you have no way to verify what you're getting before it's installed.

Tampa Bay Area — The Permit Question That Revealed Everything

Robert was getting quotes for storm panels on his Clearwater home in spring 2023. One contractor — who had given him a competitive quote and good references — answered his question about permits with: 'Pinellas County has been really backed up, so a lot of guys are skipping permits on panels. It's just panels, the inspectors don't really care.'

Robert immediately eliminated that contractor. He called Pinellas County Building Services the next day and confirmed: storm panel installations do require permits in Pinellas County, and inspectors absolutely do check them. The permit requirement for storm panels exists precisely because improper fastening — to window frames instead of structural members — is common and creates a false sense of protection.

He hired a different contractor who pulled the permit and completed the installation. The inspector flagged three fastener locations where the contractor had attached to the aluminum window frame rather than the concrete block — a common shortcut. Those three locations were corrected before the permit closed. 'If that contractor hadn't told me permits were being skipped,' Robert said, 'I might have hired someone who skipped mine. And I'd never have known.'

What this means for your home: A contractor who tells you permits aren't required — or that 'everyone skips them' — is telling you they plan to do work that may not meet code and won't be inspected. Call your county building department directly to confirm permit requirements for your specific project. One phone call, five minutes, potentially saves you thousands in remediation costs.

New Orleans Area — The References That Weren't Recent

When Helen hired a shutter contractor for her Metairie home in 2021, she did check references. The contractor provided three names, all of whom spoke highly of the work. What Helen didn't ask was when the work was done. One reference was from 2016, one from 2018, one from 2019.

The installation in 2021 went poorly — tracks were not level, two shutters didn't close completely, and the final inspection failed twice before passing on the third visit after significant remediation. Helen later found that the contractor had lost two experienced installation crews in 2020 and was relying on newer workers who weren't familiar with HVHZ-equivalent requirements in Jefferson Parish.

References from 3–5 years ago don't reflect the contractor's current crew quality, current workload, or current compliance with updated codes. Helen wished she had asked: 'Can you give me references from jobs completed in the last 12 months, specifically in Jefferson Parish?' That question would have been much harder to answer with glowing reviews.

What this means for your home: When checking references, ask specifically for jobs completed within the last 12 months and in your specific county. Code requirements and contractor capabilities change. A contractor who was excellent in 2018 may have different crews, different management, and different quality control in 2024. Recent, local references are the only ones that tell you what you actually need to know.

Sources: Broward County Building Department product approval enforcement records; Pinellas County Building Services permit requirement documentation; Jefferson Parish Building Inspection post-storm remediation statistics; Florida DBPR contractor complaint data.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How many quotes should I get?

Get at least 3 written quotes for any job over $3,000. The range between the lowest and highest quote for identical work is typically 25–40%. Three quotes gives you enough data to identify outliers — both the contractor who is cutting corners to come in low and the one padding margin because they assume you won't shop around.

What should a written quote include?

A proper written quote should include: your name and address, specific product with manufacturer and model number, FL product approval number, total square footage of protection, itemized pricing by opening if possible, permit fees, total price including all labor and materials, and an estimated timeline. A verbal quote or a quote with just a total number is not sufficient.

Is the cheapest quote always the worst?

Not automatically — but a quote that is significantly lower than the others (more than 20–25%) deserves scrutiny. Ask specifically what product they're using and verify its FL approval number. Low quotes often involve non-code-compliant products, unlicensed subcontractors, or the intent to add change orders after you've signed.