12 Tips on Finding a Good Contractor
When you can't do it yourself, it's time to find a good contractor. Following are some tips to help you find a good one:
1. Avoid the yellow pages; anyone can buy an ad.
2. Get recommendations from family, friends and co-workers.
3. Deal only with licensed contractors.
4. Check with the state licensing board and local Better Business Bureau to see if there are any outstanding complaints.
5. Interview each contractor, request free estimates and ask for recent references of projects similar to yours.
6. Do not work with an uninsured contractor. Verify the contractor has worker's compensation insurance and an umbrella general liability policy.
7. Check the contractor's professional associations. Most professionals are members of some association.
8. Check to see how long the contractor has been in business; be cautious about working with new companies.
9. Find out how long the contractor has been working with his crew; you don't want your project to be a training ground for new employees.
10. Ask what will be handled by the contractor and what will be subcontracted. Keep in mind if subcontractors are involved, you should check them out as well.
11. Find out how many other projects the contractor will be working on simultaneously. If they have lots of other projects, they'll have less time to devote to you.
12. Trust your instincts.