Find reviews for the contractor online before you make a hiring decision. The reviews should talk about the professionalism of the contractor and the skill of the contractor. The reviews should also go into the work history of the contractor and tell you about the history of the contractor. In the end, you want to know as much about the contractor as humanly possible before you hire him or her.

You should get an estimate before you decide on a contractor. The estimate should tell you all about the cost of the project and the time-frame the contractor expects for the project. If possible, you should ask for an estimate from a number of different contractors before you decide on one. When you have access to a number of different contractors, you are much more likely to find a great price. After all, a diversity of potential contractors could offer a diverse range of prices.

You should write out a contract for the contractor before you hire him or her. The contract doesn't even need to be a legally-binding contract, all it needs to do is set down the relationship between you and your contractor.