WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN HIRING A CONTRACTOR

You need to have some work done on your home or you are looking to hire a contractor to build your dream home, what should you look for when hiring a contractor to touch my biggest investment?

According to Mike Holmes, "Before you start flipping through the Yellow Pages and calling every contractor in the book, let's get your expectations on the right planet.  You should expect that in this day and age, skilled contractors are in high demand: good contractors are very, very busy."

Here are five qualities you should look for when hiring a contractor.

1. Experience - a good contractor is a tradesman with experience. It is imperative that they understand the scope of work you want done.  Even if they utilize subcontractors they are responsible for scheduling the work and assuring that the subcontractors complete their tasks on time and with the highest level quality.

2. Reputation - when you get good service it is always easier to talk about it to your friends, relatives or co-workers.  The reputation any professional has is directly related to the quality of work and service they perform.  In addition to "word-of-mouth" it is always beneficial to check with the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau.

3. Integrity - a contractor is only good as his/her word.  They never over charge a customer, do what they say they will do, stand behind the quality of their work and will they correct any situations in a timely manner.

4. Flexibility - you hire a contractor not only for their skills, but their ability to alter the schedule to complete the work.  You need a contractor that is able and willing to take on every aspect of your project within the time frame you both agreed upon.

5. Listening Skills - you're the boss!  When you talk to the contractor tell them exactly what you want and why.  It is not their job to convince you to do it another way unless there are structural issues or it would be cost-prohibitive.  Their job then is to explain why it cannot be done and offer alternate solutions that will accomplish the same goal.

If you have other qualities you look for in a contractor and would like to share them, leave a comment.