My Simple House

How to Hire a Contractor

By Matt - Monday, September 15th, 2008

Knowing that you need a contractor to do a job is one thing now comes the hard part: you need to find this contractor. Contractors come in all shapes and sizes from the really good ones to the ones that shouldn’t be handling tools. Personally I’ve been fairly lucky in my dealings with contractors, I’ve never had to fire one for incompetence nor have I had to fight with one over money or work done. Needless to say if you’re not careful hiring the wrong contractor can really make your life miserable.

Getting a professional to come in and do work in your house can really increase the value of your home and your enjoyment of it. Simplifying and updating a kitchen are things that most people would have difficulty completing themselves. Here are some ideas on how to find and hire a contractor:

Family and Friends – Ask your family and friends if they’ve ever used a contractor that they liked. They’ll be able to tell you their experiences right away. This can save you a lot of looking around not to mention the contractor is likely to want to do a good job so they can get more referrals

Real Estate Agents – I’ve had more quality contractors referred to me by my real estate agent than anyone else. First off it’s in their best interest to help you out and they’ll have heard if the contractor is good or not.

Sites and Shows – There are a ton of reality shows about house construction or upgrades. These shows often use contractors to help them out and they will say who helped them. You’re not guaranteed a good contractor but chances are pretty decent.

Phone Book – I’d go to this resource last mostly because you’re shooting in the dark. But when all else fails there will be people to help you out here.

Now that you’ve contacted a contractor and they’re quoting the job there are two things that you really need to remember to make sure you’re protected.

Check References – If you don’t know the contractor ask for their references and check them. If they give you a short list or ask why warning flags should be going up. If the person does good work they would want their previous customers to vouch for their work.

Get the quote in writing – Construction or upgrade projects are filled with unknowns and some contractors see this as an opportunity to take advantage of people. Make sure you get the quote in writing before any work begins. Again this is to cover yourself especially if you’re not familiar with the type of work the person is doing.

Good Luck with your project!

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