How do I hire a contractor?

Learn how to find the right contractor for your job.

Tutorial

Do it yourself or hire a pro? It's usually cheaper to do the job yourself and fun to claim bragging rights. However, consider hiring a pro if:
- You don't have the expertise: Doing something the wrong way can get very expensive very quickly given the cost of materials. For example, expensive carpet cut the wrong way is ruined and you cannot get the money back.
- The job requires expensive tools you don't have: If you can't rent or borrow the tool, the overall cost of the project just went up.
- You don't have the time: Home projects can take an amazing amount of time. Would the project be too stressful to complete on time?

How to hire a contractor tips include:
- Plan ahead: You need time to interview contractors, check their references, and get on their schedule. You also need time to make design decisions, track down materials, and get permits.
- Choose an experienced contractor: You are hiring a pro to get the job done right. Therefore, make sure he has experience that exactly matches your needs. You don't want to be someone's learning experience.
- Get a price and contract in writing: Use the contract to establish a payment schedule, define deliverables and schedules, and determine who is responsible if the job falls behind schedule.
- Compare bids: Make sure you are comparing apples to apples and that each bid is for the entire scope of work.