How to Choose a Contractor

Like Eddy, I love watching the HGTV show Holmes on Homes. If you haven't seen the show, it's basically just a Canadian superhero (Mike Holmes) visiting people who have been burned by bad contractors and fixing the job. The show's mantra is "make it right" and they indeed always make things perfect.

As someone who can be a little obsessive about my house, I can't get enough of the show. The man is one of my personal heroes. So, you'd think after watching umpteen hours of the show, I'd never end up with a bad contractor, right? Wrong.

Despite seeing so many people get burned by not doing their due diligence when picking a contractor, when my wife and I choose a contractor to install slate in our new house last year, we fell into the same traps. It's easy to trust contractors and get swept up in what they say. Now we're stuck with a bad installation and there's no one to blame but ourselves.

Take it from me, picking a contractor is a very important process. Take the time to do a little research though, and you can ensure you get quality work. Here are the top tips for choosing a contractor:

• Get recommendations – Ask your friends, family, whoever is selling you materials or even people on the Internet if they know of anyone that might work for what you need done. 

• Ask for references – While the contractor is only going to give you the contact details of people that were happy with their service, it's still important to make sure someone was happy with the service. Make sure you get references for the specific job you are working on and get pictures or a visit in person.

• Get a specialist – General contractors can be great, but a contractor that specializes in what youn need done will almost always deliver better results.

• Snoop around – Check with the local licensing agencies and Better Business Bureau to make sure the contractor is legit. Make sure they have worker's compensation, property damage and personal liability insurance. Google their name or the name of their business to see if people online have had issues in the past. Find out how long they have been in business.

• Trust your gut – Make sure you really trust this person. If you have any doubts, it's probably not a match.

• Ask if who you are speaking with will be supervising – Many contractors sub-contract out jobs to people you may not be comfortable with. As if the person you are dealing with will be doing the work or supervising it.

• Get a written estimate – Having a written estimate is incredibly important and can protect you later down the line. If a contractor won't provide one, walk away immediately. Also, make sure you get estimates from at least three contractors to make sure the prices you are being quoted are fair.

• Sign a contract – Even more important than an estimate is a thorough contract that spells out what is to be done, who pays for what and what the payment terms are. Many contractors will push back on this and suggest you just trust them, don't let them.

• Supervise the job – Don't run on blind faith. Check in on the progress of the job and make sure everything is up to your standards. Drop in unexpectedly to make sure you're getting the whole story.

With these tips in mind, you should end up with a reliable contractor and the job done right. After all, Mike Holmes can't fix everyone's house.