If you are considering a renovation project, working with a reliable contractor is the key to a smooth and successful remodel. Whether you’re doing a single room renovation or a full house renovation, a quality contractor is essential. They will help keep your project moving in the right direction and prevent any potential problems before they get too big. A good contractor will handle everything from simple maintenance projects to full on customizing your kitchen and baths to look exactly the way you want them to.

Good contractors are super important, however finding a keeper may not be simple. It is very common to interview multiple contractors before you find the one that is the right fit. Settling for an average contractor is never the key. When you ultimately find one that you work well with, it is important to do everything you can to keep them. Having a good contractor can completely change your business for the better or make your small home renovation project a walk in the park rather than a nightmare. Here are some tips to help find a reliable contractor.

• Ask Friends and Family/Network:  There are multiple ways to find a contractor. You can search sites like Craigslist and utilizing social media groups can be a good resource. A personal referral is almost always a great place to start and you may be pleasantly surprised by the amount of people who may be able to provide a referral. Some other great points of contact are reaching out to your attorney, a real estate agent, your neighbors, or a mortgage broker. If you’re able to stop by any open houses on the weekend most good contractors will leave a business card at the property. Check out big box shopping stores like Home Depot, Lowes, Menards and paint stores. If you are an investor, you can leverage fellow investors and ask if they wouldn’t mind referring anyone to you.

• Why Wait:  It is never too early to begin your search for a contractor. If you are considering a remodel or a full-blown renovation it is best to get your search started early. if you are an active investor or just getting started, you should have a contractor in place because you never want to have to scramble to find a contractor when you need one. Not having contractors lined up opens the door to making rush decisions that you may regret. One of the first things you can do is strike up a conversation with a potential contractor and see if they are a good fit for you. You want to be sure you are both on the same page in regards to timeline. They can do the best work in the area but if they are booked solid for weeks it doesn’t do you any good. Another good tip is to see how responsive a potential contractor is. It is always easiest to work with someone who responds to calls and texts.

• Think Big Picture:  We all almost always try to get the best possible deal. Whether we are buying a house, a new or used car, or even cellphone there is the instinct to negotiate. However, it is important to know when to pick your battles. If you have ever heard the saying “you get what you pay for” it holds true when searching for contractors. It is best to look for the contractor that is the best fit rather than the best price. There should be a balance between quality of work and availability with price.

• Word of Mouth: It is perfectly ok to ask a contractor for referrals. Finding a contractor should be treated almost like interviewing someone for an important job. After all, the contractor you choose will be in your home for weeks on end. It’s important to know who you are partnering with before getting too far into the process. Always ask for any references or past projects they can provide. I personally like to walk projects in its current phase to see how a job site is kept and how the contractor deals with people he has working for him. If they get offended and upset, it can be a red flag that they are not real professionals. If they don’t mind getting what you ask for you know they are someone you can trust and want to work with. Regardless of how you connected with a potential contractor or how well you know them, you need to always ask for references and referrals before working together.

• Consider an Audition Job: The first job you have together doesn’t have to be a full-on project. In fact, it can be something small. There is no harm with starting out small and building that rapport. Start with a minor project and see how they respond. Are they clear on what they are going to do and how they will do it? Are there any last-minute issues that make you think twice? Do they want more work and are confident they can handle bigger tasks? Starting out on an audition project is a good way to get to know each other and see if working together is a good fit.

Every market has good contractors. Starting your search early and getting at lease 3 estimates from 3 different contractors is a good way to go. Use these five tips to help get started. Get that project started!