1. Get recommendations
Start with your friends and family and then check in with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry for a list of members in your area. You can also talk with a building inspector, who'll know which contractors routinely meet code requirements, says This Old House general contractor Tom Silva, or pay a visit to your local lumberyard, which sees contractors regularly and knows which ones buy quality materials and pay their bills on time.
2. Do phone interviews
Once you've assembled a list, Tom recommends that you make a quick call to each of your prospects and ask them the
following questions:
•Do they take on projects of your size?
•Are they willing to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks?
•Can they give you a list of previous clients?
•How many other projects would they have going at the same time?
•How long have they worked with their subcontractors?
The answers to these questions will reveal the company's availability, reliability, how much attention they'll be able to give your project and how smoothly the work will go.
3. Meet face to face
Based on the phone interviews, pick three or four contractors to meet for estimates and further discussion. A contractor should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that puts you at ease. Tom says that it's crucial that you two communicate well because this person will be in your home for hours at a time. On the other hand, don't let personality fool you. Check in with your state's consumer protection agency and your local Better Business Bureau to make sure contractors don't have a history of disputes with clients or subcontractors.
4. Investigate the facts
Now that you've narrowed your list, put your research to use. Call up former clients to find how their project went and ask to see the finished product. But Tom says you shouldn't rely on results alone. Even more important, visit a current job site and see for yourself how the contractor works. Is the job site neat and safe? Are workers courteous and careful with the homeowner's property?
