Find a contractor that is used to installing wood shakes. There are many different types of shakes that you can choose from and you want to be sure your contractor is versed with them all. Different types of wood are used for roofs in different parts of the country. If you get a contractor with experience in wood shake installation, then you will be going a long way toward protecting yourself.

Always get an estimate before you actually hire a contractor. This is essential for a number of different reasons. Primarily, the estimate will help you prepare for the financial costs of the project. Also, you can contact a number of different contractors and ask them for estimates as well. This will give you a lot of options when you are deciding on a contractor. You will be able to look at many estimates side by side and see which one is the best.

You should write up a very simple contract between you and the contractor you hire. This will not be a legally binding document and it doesn't have to be. The point of the contract is not really to hold the contractor legally liable for any work. It is mostly meant to make the relationship between you and the contractor very simple and clear. It will lay out the entire extent of the job in a way that leaves nothing to the imagination. With this further clarity, you won't have to worry about your contractor doing work that you did not intend for him or her to do.