Now that your home project is planned and you have the blessing of your local officials to proceed, it is time to locate a contractor to do the work. There are many ways this can be accomplished and they are listed below. Once again, proper planning and lots of patience will head you in the right direction.

Word of Mouth Referrals

Finding a reliable, quality-oriented, and qualified contractor to do your project is best done by starting with your own "network" of friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers and other acquaintances. These are called "word of mouth" referrals and it is by far the best way to begin your search for that elusive contractor. Just beware that everyone's quality standards are different. What your neighbor feels was a quality job may look shabby to you. The ideal word of mouth referral is when you get the same contractor name from two or three members of your network.

Realtors

They usually have a good selection of contractors they deal with on a regular basis.

Lumber Yards, Hardware Stores and Other Building Material Suppliers

This is where contractors hang out by necessity! Some will leave their business cards here or the business will have a listing of contractors that you could pick from. Just ask. Most of these businesses will not refer a specific contractor to you merely due to fairness but also because of potential legal issues. If you needed a painter, plumber, or electrician you could contact suppliers for those trades.

Architects and Engineers

They know who the quality contractors are. Many times they are hired to oversee the project and therefore can see how the contractor operates and the quality of their work, start to finish. Due to legal ramifications it may be hard to get an actual referral from them also...it never hurts to try!

The Better Business Bureau

The BBB has listings of its members online and other pertinent information about the business. Just remember...being a member of either of these organizations doesn't mean they are quality contractors. Be diligent and do your research.

Home Inspection Services and Code Enforcement Officials

Once again you might get a list but no specific referrals especially from the city or town representative.

Yellow Pages and Classified Ads

Does the thought of spending an evening or two flipping through the yellow pages or classified ads to locate a contractor for your dream project sound like fun?...I didn't think so! Not only is this process time consuming, but is "hit or miss" at best! Another issue is hoping that the contractor will pick up the phone so you can speak with them. If you get the dreaded answering machine you now wait and pray that they return your call. In all fairness, these tools can be useful. Some may list a website address that you can visit. Check to see if the contractor has an online portfolio of jobs that is similar to what you want done. Also, always remember that the size of the ad doesn't reflect the quality of the contractor's work.

Banks, Mortgage Companies and Insurance Pros

It won't hurt to give them a try especially if you know someone in the business.