Most contracts are written around an item, a model, and a place. When a household has several covered items in different rooms or outbuildings, a contract that fits one of them may leave the others unnamed. Counting before comparing is the inexpensive step that prevents a mismatch.
Make the inventory
List each item you want covered on its own line. For each, note its type, its location in the house or on the property, whether it is built in or freestanding, and whether it runs on gas, electricity, or both. Keep the list where you can add to it, because a new item later may need its own paperwork.
Check whether each item is named
Ask whether the contract names items individually, by category, or by a general description. A contract that lists an appliance category may still exclude a unit built into a wall, another unit in a garage, or equipment kept in an outbuilding. Find the sentence that defines what sits in scope, and test it against each line on your list.
Bundled or separate contracts
Some sellers offer one agreement covering several items, and others sell a separate agreement for each. A bundle can be simpler to track, but it can also tie an item you care about to a term that suits another item less well. Separate agreements can be easier to end or transfer item by item, though they may mean more paperwork to keep. Compare the two forms by how they will look across ordinary use, not by the front page of the quote.
Where the item sits
Ask whether the location of an item affects the service. A unit in a hard-to-reach space, a rural address, or a property with restricted access may fall outside the service area or require a different visit route. Ask the seller to state in writing whether any location on your list is excluded, and what the service visit requires from you, such as clear access or a key.
What to bring to the seller
Bring the inventory, the make and model you have on record, and the address where each item sits. Ask the seller to mark each item on the contract's schedule. If the schedule is missing items, ask why before you sign.
Limits of this guide
This is a general explainer and does not say what any contract covers. Read the contract's schedule and definitions for its actual scope. The state pages on this site list the rules for each state where this edition has read them, and mark the states it has not read.