Interview. You will also want to conduct interviews of your prospective contractors. These interviews will take place over the phone. Questions to ask include the following:

• What size projects do you take on?


• Do you have financial reference from material suppliers or from banks?


• Can you provide referrals/lists from previous clients?


• How many projects are you currently working on now?

These questions are important to ask and will give you a general idea about how smoothly the project will run and whether or not they are reliable.

Meet the prospective contractors in person.
Once you have narrowed down a few potential contractors, meet with them in person to talk more and to get an estimate. There are a number of things you should be aware of in this meeting. The contractor should be able to answer all of your questions. In addition, it's important to make sure you communicate effectively and are comfortable with your contractor.

Check references and job sites.
Use the list of references and former clients and call them up. Ask them how the project went and whether or not their home was completed on time. See if you can drop by and see the work. In addition, you may want to visit current job sites and see that the job site is safe, orderly, and that the workers are treating the materials and property in a respectful and careful manner. You will also want to look up your contractor on the Better Business Bureau and see if he has any disputes or claims filed against him.

Get bids.
Once you have narrowed it down further to one or two potential contractors, start to deal with your project. Meet with the contractor with blueprints as well as to discuss what you want from the project and what your budget is. Ask the prospective contractors to break down the costs into materials, labor, and other expenses. This makes it easier to compare your bids.
Discuss payment plans and schedules.
How your contractor deals with finances can also tell you where he stands financially. Typically, large projects start with 10 percent when the contract is signed, then three payments of 25 percent over the duration of the project. The final 15% comes at the end of the project.

Make sure you have a contract.
It's very important to have all terms put into writing. This includes the payment schedule, proof of insurance, projected start and completion dates, specific materials to be used, and so forth.

The contractor is one of the most important people in your homebuilding experience, so it's important to choose contractors you can trust. These tips will help you find contractors you can trust for building or remodeling your home.