| Looking for a contractor should not be a painful | | | | of the job should be in the contract along with the |
| experience but if you aren’t careful and selective | | | | payment due dates and amounts due. Keeping it in |
| it can quickly become an expensive learning | | | | writing will help keep everyone on the same page. |
| experience. Contractors are professional businessmen | | | | Of course delays happen even with the best of |
| and as such they are regulated by the state to | | | | contractors. Supplies can be delayed, special ordered |
| protect themselves and their clients if a dispute | | | | items can be slow in arriving or weather can alter the |
| should arise. Before you hire any contractor take | | | | ability to do a certain part of the job that needs to |
| some simple precautionary steps to make sure the | | | | be completed. It is realistic to expect delays but it is |
| contractor you are prepared to hire has no | | | | also realistic to expect the contractor to keep you in |
| complaints against the company. It is easier than ever | | | | the loop and call you if there is a schedule change. |
| for consumers to verify a contractor is current on his | | | | Once the job is completed, do a completed walk |
| license and bond with a simple check of the state | | | | through of the job and check the small details as well |
| contractor board web site. Information can be looked | | | | as the over all picture. This is your only chance to |
| up with a name or contractor license number and any | | | | have things fixed that are wrong before you give |
| history of complaints will be listed. It is also a good | | | | the contractor his final payment and check him off |
| idea to verify the contractor has a permanent phone | | | | on the job. |
| number and address. A contractor who is hard to | | | | Most reputable contractors will gladly respond to |
| reach for a job because of a revolving phone number | | | | future concerns if the job is warranted but it can be |
| should send up red flags and at the very least will be | | | | hard to prove two months later that a certain task |
| even harder to reach if anything goes wrong on the | | | | was not done if you checked if off so going down a |
| job. | | | | list is a good way to be through and not cause |
| Any bid to do a job should be in writing and should | | | | unnecessary conflicts with your contractor. |
| be as detailed as possible. A good contract will clarify | | | | Hopefully when you’re done you will be happy |
| where the money is going in great detail. Pay | | | | enough with the contractor you choose to use him |
| attention to the budget the contractor has set up | | | | again and recommend him to your friends and family |
| for the job and make any changes in writing to be | | | | who need a project done. |
| included in the final contract. The start and finish date | | | | |