Ten Commandments of Hiring a Contractor | 4. Pick a Good Contractor

Once you have a budget, a plan and a few estimates, it is time to do your homework. Try to answer the following questions about the contractor you are hiring. Is he an established local business or a fly by night contractor? Do they have a real physical address and a landline phone, or work out of a truck with a cell phone? Are they experts on the kind of service they are bidding on, or just general contractors? Remember that homes are a system like our bodies.

While your primary care doctor might be very good at taking care of your general health, he/she will always refer you to a specialist, if you have a specific problem. It is always a better idea to hire someone who is a specialist and has extensive experience on the type or work you need done on your home.

Other things to look for: what kind of warranty do they offer on their services and products, and how long they have been in business. A company that has been in business for a long time is more likely to remain in business and honor the warranty given. What is a Lifetime Warranty worth if the company will be out of business in a couple of years?