Here are some quick helpful tips on choosing a contractor that fits your project at hand.

Details And Friendships

• Gather as much information and details on what your completed project would look like. This helps when it comes time to choose potential contractors, by gauging how receptive they are to your thoughts and ideas, while also voicing some of their ideas and experience. It should feel like a conversation with a friend rather than an awkward small talk.

Do A Little Homework.

• Whether you immediately settle on a contractor, or need to decide between a couple, you could be doing a little research while you wait to receive estimates. Some areas of interest should be company reviews, their website, social media pages, verifying an active business license with the state you live in, and it wouldn't hurt to ask for proof of business insurance for some peace of mind. Remember that in most states it is illegal to do certain types of work without a license, and if problems ever arise, you could be out your hard earned money and stuck with an unfinished project. Save yourself time, money and headaches by hiring a verified & reputable contractor.

No Two Estimates Are The Same.

• The attention, or in this case the differences, are in the details. Your potential contractors should have provided you with estimates by now. This is when you take the time to review the scope of work being submitted to you, and you compare the differences between them. The main focus should be if it captured all the details you had covered up to that point. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Level the playing field and verify that the prices you are looking at, reflect all the work you requested to be completed.

Remember, you are inviting a stranger into your home, sometimes for a prolonged period of time. Picking the "right" contractor can feel daunting, but hopefully these tips can help ease that process a bit. At the end of the project, you should feel a sense of value and accomplishment rather than disappointment and regret, because after all, your contractor should be trying to build a lasting relationship with you rather than just another customer.