Things to Look for in a Good Contractor

Moving to a new (to you) home often means repairs— some necessary, some just cosmetic— but repairs none-the-less.  And if they're beyond your ability (which is absolutely the case in my household), you can usually find a good contractor to do the work.  And the keyword here is "good".  With just a quick search, you'll find plenty of people who've been deceived by bad contractors who looked good online.  It's usually a case where they seem likeable and promise great things, but fail to follow through, even though you've already paid.  No one wants to find themselves in that situation – especially after the expense of moving long distance to a new home.

Things to look for in a good contractor
Though it would be nice to be able to just take their word for it, you never want to hire a contractor without fully checking them out. A good place to start is with word of mouth from friends and family. Ask around. If you've got a Facebook or Twitter account, ask for references.  I've always found that my "friends" and "followers" have strong opinions that have been very helpful.  I needed gravel for my driveway, asked the question on Facebook, "anyone know of a good gravel hauler than doesn't cost $800 a load?", and got about 12 comments that resulted in finding someone to do the job.

You also want to ask questions about work quality, punctuality, dependability and price.  I don't know about you, but I want to hire someone who gets the job done in a timely manner. Minor delays are normal, but you don't want a contractor who just "sits" on the job for weeks at a time.  And of course, they have to fit in your budget. 

If you aren't able to get references from friends and family, check out contractor ratings on sites like Angieslist.com or ratemycontractor.com.  You'll usually be able to find ratings for local contractors in your area.

Once you've narrowed it down, give the contractor a call to discuss the project and verify they're qualified to do the actual task. You certainly don't want to hire an electrician to repair your roof.  Ask if they're licensed to ensure they're qualified and can acquire necessary permits. If they can't provide a license number, move on to someone else.  You'll also want to make sure they're up-to-date on safety codes, have quality people working for them and that they carry workers compensation and general liability insurance.

Long story short, there are some great contractors out there who do a super job at repairs and can make things much easier (especially when you wouldn't know where to start).  Just make sure you do your homework so you're not left paying someone for shoddy work…or none at all.