{ "schemaVersion": "1.0", "generatedAt": "2026-05-19", "source": "OnCrew", "canonical": "https://oncrew.ai/api/triage-questions", "htmlVersion": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions", "attribution": "Source: OnCrew (oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions). Free to copy with link-back.", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "description": "Trade-specific call intake questions for contractor answering services. Six trades (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, handyman, garage door) with 8-10 vetted triage questions each, safety-branch flags, and per-trade escalation rules. Free to use; attribution requested.", "trades": [ { "slug": "hvac", "trade": "HVAC", "intro": "HVAC intake has to separate a comfort complaint from a no-heat or no-cool call that can become a frozen-pipe burst, an elderly heat-illness, or a CO emergency. The first three questions are safety branches: medical dependence, gas smell, and current indoor temperature. Everything else qualifies the dispatch.", "escalationRule": "Escalate to immediate dispatch if any of: gas smell, medical-dependence with no-heat or no-cool, indoor temperature past 50F low or 90F high in a multi-occupant home, or CO alarm sounding. Otherwise schedule for next available window.", "questions": [ { "number": 1, "question": "Is anyone in the home medically dependent on heating or cooling (elderly, infant, asthma, oxygen)?", "whyItMatters": "Sets the urgency floor. A no-heat night with an infant or oxygen-dependent occupant becomes a same-night dispatch even at single-digit volume.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 2, "question": "Do you smell gas in or around the system?", "whyItMatters": "If yes, instruct the caller to leave the home, call 911 or the local gas utility, and do not relight pilots. Capture the address before they leave.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 3, "question": "What is the current indoor temperature, and what is the outside temperature?", "whyItMatters": "An indoor temperature below 50F or above 90F is an actionable emergency threshold for most regions.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 4, "question": "Is the system completely off, blowing wrong-temperature air, or making an unusual noise?", "whyItMatters": "Different failure modes (blower, igniter, compressor, refrigerant) drive different parts and tech-skill loadouts.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 5, "question": "What is the make and model on the unit nameplate (indoor + outdoor)?", "whyItMatters": "Lets the dispatcher pull part availability before the truck rolls. Capture both photo and dictated text if possible.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 6, "question": "When did the issue start, and what changed before it started (filter, thermostat, breaker)?", "whyItMatters": "A failure right after a filter change or thermostat reset is often a reversible install error. Saves a tech visit.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 7, "question": "Have you reset the thermostat and checked the air filter in the last 90 days?", "whyItMatters": "Reduces no-fault dispatches. Walk the caller through both before promising a truck if it is not an emergency.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 8, "question": "Is the thermostat displaying anything unusual (flashing, error code, blank screen)?", "whyItMatters": "Most modern thermostats surface error codes that map to a known fault. Worth one minute on the call.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 9, "question": "Service address and a callback number that will reach you tonight?", "whyItMatters": "Always capture before you commit a dispatch window. Repeat back to the caller.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 10, "question": "Pets in the home, and any access notes (gate code, dog crate, lockbox)?", "whyItMatters": "Tech safety and time-on-site. Avoids a callback truck because nobody could enter.", "safetyBranch": false } ], "pageUrl": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions#hvac" }, { "slug": "plumbing", "trade": "Plumbing", "intro": "Plumbing emergencies move faster than HVAC. Water that is moving keeps causing damage every minute it runs. The first two questions trade urgency for shutoff guidance: get the main water valve closed before the truck rolls.", "escalationRule": "Escalate to immediate dispatch if any of: active flowing water with no shutoff, sewage backup, gas-line involvement, or water near electrical panel or appliances. Otherwise schedule for next available window with shutoff guidance given.", "questions": [ { "number": 1, "question": "Is water actively flowing right now, or has it stopped?", "whyItMatters": "Sets the dispatch clock. Active flow with no shutoff is the highest urgency tier on most plumbing boards.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 2, "question": "Have you located and shut off your main water valve?", "whyItMatters": "Walk the caller through it. Most homes have the main inside near the front wall or in a basement utility area; some have a curb box at the property line.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 3, "question": "Is the water clear, gray, or sewage (brown / smells)?", "whyItMatters": "Sewage backup needs a different truck, different PPE, and different insurance documentation than a clean-water line break.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 4, "question": "Where is the issue (basement, kitchen sink, toilet, exterior wall, water heater)?", "whyItMatters": "Drives parts and the size of the cleanup. Slab leak vs sink leak is a different scope conversation.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 5, "question": "Are there any electrical outlets, panels, or appliances near the water?", "whyItMatters": "Triggers a safety branch: cut power at the breaker if it is safe to do so, and call out the panel proximity on the dispatch ticket.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 6, "question": "When did the issue start, and is it getting worse?", "whyItMatters": "A leak that has been slowly worsening for a week is a different scope than a pipe that burst 10 minutes ago.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 7, "question": "Do you have minors, elderly, or medical equipment in the home?", "whyItMatters": "Same urgency-floor logic as HVAC. Drives whether you wait until daylight.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 8, "question": "What is the property type and approximate age (single-family, condo, multi-unit, pre-1970)?", "whyItMatters": "Older homes can have galvanized supply or polybutylene that drives a re-pipe conversation rather than a spot repair.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 9, "question": "Service address and a callback number?", "whyItMatters": "Repeat back. Capture spelling on street names that have homophones (Maple vs Mable).", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 10, "question": "What is your homeowner's insurance carrier? Water-damage claims often need 24-hour notice and a licensed plumber's report.", "whyItMatters": "Most carriers (State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, USAA) require the contractor's invoice + photos for the claim. Capturing the carrier now saves the homeowner a callback later.", "safetyBranch": false } ], "pageUrl": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions#plumbing" }, { "slug": "electrical", "trade": "Electrical", "intro": "Electrical intake has a hard rule: if the caller can smell burning, see smoke, or see sparks, instruct them to shut off the breaker at the panel only if it is safe to reach, leave the home if smoke is present, and call 911 before they call back. Capture address before the caller leaves the line.", "escalationRule": "Escalate to immediate dispatch if any of: smoke, sparks, burning smell, warm outlets, water near electrical, or medical equipment with full power loss. Otherwise schedule with utility-call guidance and breaker-reset walkthrough.", "questions": [ { "number": 1, "question": "Do you smell burning, see sparks, or see smoke right now?", "whyItMatters": "If yes, instruct the caller to leave the home and call 911. Do not promise a dispatch window first. Get the address.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 2, "question": "Are any outlets, switches, or panel breakers warm to the touch or discolored?", "whyItMatters": "A warm-but-not-smoking outlet is an active fire-risk dispatch. Tell the caller to stop using the circuit and locate the breaker.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 3, "question": "Is the power out at the panel, the breaker, an outlet, or a single fixture?", "whyItMatters": "Drives whether this is a utility issue (call the power company first), a tripped breaker (caller can reset), or a fault that needs an electrician.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 4, "question": "Have you checked your panel for tripped breakers and reset any that flipped?", "whyItMatters": "Reduces no-fault dispatches. Walk the caller through the panel labels if they are unfamiliar.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 5, "question": "Did this happen during or right after a storm, a power surge, an appliance install, or a remodel?", "whyItMatters": "Storm or surge means a likely utility-side issue. Appliance or remodel context narrows the fault location.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 6, "question": "Is there any moisture near the electrical (basement flood, roof leak, plumbing leak)?", "whyItMatters": "Water and electrical is a fire-risk and shock-risk combination. Cut power if it can be done safely from a dry location.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 7, "question": "Are children, elderly, or medical equipment in the home (oxygen, CPAP, dialysis)?", "whyItMatters": "Sets the after-hours dispatch floor regardless of fault scope.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 8, "question": "Do you have generators, solar panels, or battery storage installed?", "whyItMatters": "Backfeed risk changes how the tech approaches a panel. Note it loudly on the dispatch ticket.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 9, "question": "What is the approximate age of the home and the electrical panel (Federal Pacific, Zinsco, FPE, Square D, GE)?", "whyItMatters": "Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels are a known fire-risk recall pattern. Note the brand for the tech.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 10, "question": "Service address and a callback number that will reach you tonight?", "whyItMatters": "Always before commitment. Repeat back.", "safetyBranch": false } ], "pageUrl": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions#electrical" }, { "slug": "roofing", "trade": "Roofing", "intro": "Roofing emergency intake is about stopping water entry, not fixing the roof. Most calls during a storm event are tarp requests, not full repair. The first two questions split the call: is water actively entering, or is the homeowner panicking about future water.", "escalationRule": "Escalate to immediate emergency-tarp dispatch if water is actively entering during an ongoing storm. Schedule next-business-day for stained ceilings with no current entry and no forecasted weather.", "questions": [ { "number": 1, "question": "Is water actively coming into the home right now, or just visible on the ceiling or attic?", "whyItMatters": "Active entry is an emergency tarp. Stained ceiling with no current entry is a scheduled visit.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 2, "question": "Where is the water entering (ceiling, wall, around a fixture, exterior wall)?", "whyItMatters": "Drives whether this is a roof issue, a flashing issue, a wall issue, or a window issue. Three different scopes.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 3, "question": "What was the weather event (hail, wind, downed branch, ice dam, no-event slow leak)?", "whyItMatters": "Insurance claim eligibility hangs on the event. Capture the date and time the storm hit.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 4, "question": "Have you moved valuables and put down buckets or tarps inside?", "whyItMatters": "Walk through it. Reduces interior damage that drives larger claim totals and longer dry-out times.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 5, "question": "What is the roof material (asphalt shingle, metal, tile, flat membrane, wood shake)?", "whyItMatters": "Drives tarp method, ladder spec, and whether a tile crew is needed.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 6, "question": "What is the approximate age of the roof and the last replacement date?", "whyItMatters": "A 2-year-old roof leaking is a workmanship conversation. A 20-year-old roof is a replacement conversation.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 7, "question": "Do you have a tarp already in place, or do you need an emergency tarp?", "whyItMatters": "Emergency tarp is a billable line item that typically clears the call until daylight even on a Saturday.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 8, "question": "Service address and a callback number?", "whyItMatters": "Always before commitment. Repeat back.", "safetyBranch": false } ], "pageUrl": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions#roofing" }, { "slug": "handyman", "trade": "Handyman", "intro": "Handyman intake is less about safety branches and more about scope clarity. The single biggest reason a handyman call goes badly is a scope mismatch: the homeowner asked for one task, the tech showed up with one set of materials, and the actual job was bigger.", "escalationRule": "Escalate to same-day dispatch when an access door fails to lock or a safety feature (stair, handrail, exterior light) is broken at a home with elderly or minor occupants. Otherwise schedule into the next routine slot.", "questions": [ { "number": 1, "question": "What is the problem, in one or two sentences?", "whyItMatters": "Make the caller summarize. If they cannot, the scope is unclear and a site visit is the only honest quote path.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 2, "question": "Is this a single task, or are there multiple things in the same visit?", "whyItMatters": "Bundled visits are billed differently than single-task drops. Capture all items now so you can quote a half-day or full-day rate.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 3, "question": "Do you have all the materials, or do we bring them?", "whyItMatters": "Trip-to-the-store fees are a top complaint driver. Ask now and confirm what brand or grade.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 4, "question": "Is this an urgent safety issue (loose handrail, broken stair, exterior door not locking), or a routine repair?", "whyItMatters": "Even handyman work has same-day urgency tiers when an access door does not lock at night.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 5, "question": "Is someone home to provide access, or do you want a lockbox flow?", "whyItMatters": "Drives scheduling. Lockbox flows can run during business hours regardless of homeowner schedule.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 6, "question": "Property type (single-family, condo, apartment, rental)?", "whyItMatters": "HOA and rental restrictions can block scope. Renters often need landlord approval before a paid repair.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 7, "question": "Service address?", "whyItMatters": "Capture before quoting. Drive-time changes the price for jobs far from the shop.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 8, "question": "What is your preferred time window?", "whyItMatters": "Half-day windows convert better than full-day windows. Quote both.", "safetyBranch": false } ], "pageUrl": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions#handyman" }, { "slug": "garage-door", "trade": "Garage Door", "intro": "Garage-door intake has two emergency cases: a vehicle trapped inside or outside, and a broken torsion spring that can hurt anyone who pulls on the door. The first three questions decide the dispatch tier.", "escalationRule": "Escalate to same-day dispatch on a broken spring, a trapped vehicle, an off-track door, or a stuck-in-the-middle door with weather or security risk. Otherwise schedule into the next business-day window.", "questions": [ { "number": 1, "question": "Is the door fully open, fully closed, or stuck in the middle?", "whyItMatters": "Stuck-in-the-middle with weather or a security risk is a same-night dispatch. Closed-and-stuck is morning.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 2, "question": "Is your vehicle trapped inside or outside the garage?", "whyItMatters": "Trapped vehicle for a homeowner who needs to leave for work or a medical appointment is a same-night dispatch.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 3, "question": "Did you hear a loud bang, or do you see a broken spring on top of the door?", "whyItMatters": "Broken torsion spring is the most common after-hours garage-door call. Tell the caller not to pull the door manually.", "safetyBranch": true }, { "number": 4, "question": "Is the door off-track or visibly damaged (panel buckled, cable hanging)?", "whyItMatters": "Off-track is a same-day dispatch because the door can fall and cause property damage if used.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 5, "question": "Does the opener motor run when you press the wall button or remote, or is there no power at all?", "whyItMatters": "Motor runs but door does not move means broken spring, sheared key, or stripped gear. No motor means power or logic-board issue.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 6, "question": "Are the safety eyes near the floor blocked, dirty, or misaligned?", "whyItMatters": "Easy DIY fix. Walk the caller through wiping the lenses and aligning the two beams. Saves a dispatch.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 7, "question": "What is the door brand and the opener brand (LiftMaster, Genie, Chamberlain, Wayne Dalton)?", "whyItMatters": "Parts availability is brand-specific. Capture for the truck stock.", "safetyBranch": false }, { "number": 8, "question": "Service address and a callback number?", "whyItMatters": "Always before commitment. Repeat back.", "safetyBranch": false } ], "pageUrl": "https://oncrew.ai/tools/contractor-call-intake-questions#garage-door" } ], "totals": { "trades": 6, "questions": 54, "safetyBranches": 10 } }