What is the secret to hiring contractors?

[spinbaby]

Ours wander off in the middle of jobs and never return. One left ladders behind and never came back to get them. Our latest was supposed to start siding next month but found something better to do. Now we've got to start over again and look for a new contractor to side the house next month. Any suggestions?

[MrModerate]

1. Anyone who's had work done on their house will give you . . .

Horror stories.

Go with bonded professional firms who've been around for years and who have worked -- satisfactorily -- for your friends and acquaintances.

While this isn't foolproof (way too many people pretend they're 'real' contractors until the day they walk away from an unfinished job, never to return), any other approach almost guarantees heartache, delay, and wasted money.

[spinbaby]

3. Where does one find these professionals?

Our friends and aquaintances don't have much luck either.

[MrModerate]

6. Usually, if you know and trust a real estate agent

. . . they can steer you to a selection of trustworthy contractors.

Also, try the yellow pages (or equivalent). If they've got a display ad ("In business at this location since 1943" is probably a good indicator), then they had the wit to put together an ad, some time ago (since these books are generally published annually) and hence some stability.

Licenses may be meaningful in your community. See if a prospective contractor has any.

Try driving around town and inspect any work that's going on. Does it look good? Then check the contractor in question.

But nothing beats a personal reference. If your immediate circle of friends haven't had good experiences, look a bit further afield.

[Spinzonner]

2. Hold their first born hostage until they finish the job

On second thought, that might not work. Once they're rid of the brat they don't have to work to support it.

[lukasahero]

4. Been there, done that

My only recommendations are the ones we are going to use to get the painting done that the last guy we hired didn't finish:

1) Check them out with the BBB and other local agencies
2) Make sure they're licensed, get the license number and check them out
3) Before you hire them, make sure you get all possible contact information - phone (not cellular), address, company name, personal name... - just in case you end up in court over it

We thought friendly referrals were enough but this guy also just up and disappeared on the friends who recommended him so we're both screwed. If it's any consolation, our's started the job and bailed half way through but also did such a crappy job that we not only have to start over in finding someone to do the work, we have to have the entire job done all over again. Grrrrrr.

[radwriter0555]

5. Don't pay them.

Structure the payments, 1/3, 1/3 and 1/3. And hire by referral ONLY. If you don't know someone personally who has used them, then keep going until you find someone who can personally recommend someone.

I am SO lucky, I found a great guy doing some really good work here on the house, to ready it for sale. He goes by the list we've set and agreed to, and it's getting DONE on time and on budget.

[achtung_circus]

7. radwriter0555 has the right idea.

I don't know the law in your area, but there are many jurisdictions using something similar to the mechanic's lien act or the builders lien act which can state that payment is not only due an a progressive basis, but specifies a hold-back from that progressive payment. Holdback is not paid until the client (you) is happy and proof is supplied that all sub-contractors have been paid.

You might also contact a Construction Association, Builder's Association, etc. They should have a standard short-form contract that specifies performance, payments, parties to the agreement. It covers everybody's ass.

In Canada it's the CCDC 2. The Canadian Construction Association Canadian Construction Documents Committee short form contract #2.

<http://www.ccdc.org/docs/electronic.html>

As someone who spent more years than I want to remember as a project coordinator for a construction company THE keys are
1. don't believe anything until you see it with your own eyes,
2. follow up rigourously, show u< and inspect the work being done, [br />3. work from an agreed set of performance parameters,
4. used referenced and legal contractors
5. something else nobody knows about because Murphy's Law was invented for the construction industry.

[Sgent]

9. Also

require any work be inspected by the building inspector for code issues.

Although this won't gaurentee a "good" contractor, it will definately send a bad one running.

[notadmblnd]

8. I've never had problems

Prior to my husbands death, we did most home improvements ourselves. I remember him getting so mad at me when he did the vinyl siding on the garage. It was his first time and he didn't read the book. He had gotten up early that morning and let me sleep in, when I got up he wanted me to see his work. So I go outside and look at the back side of the garage and he had the starter strip on upside down. He was about a third of the way through and had to tear it off, he accused me of just wanting to criticize his work. Now that he's gone, I've had to hire people to some jobs for me.

Maybe I'm just lucky to have grown up around a group of hard working class of laborers, auto mechanics, construction workers and the like. But I have found that getting to know them and giving them little perks gets them back to finish the job.

First I look for people who have the skills and really need the work. I go with them or meet them at the builders supply, choose the materials (with their advice) and make the purchase. I buy them lunch and provide a 12 pack of beer or pop at the end of the day. I give them half up front and when the job is done they get the rest.

The landscaping guy I hired to do some work down in the back yard last year now brings me ice remover for my driveway and will even put it down if I'm not home. I think I impressed the heck out of him when he got his bobcat stuck in the mud last spring. He was going to call a tow truck to pull him out but I took my husbands "come-along" attached it to his bobcat and the frame of our pickup and wenched him out inch by inch.

I guess just treating the people that work for you good is what has worked for me so far.