Start with referrals, then verify license, insurance, references, and recent work. The FTC’s advice is blunt: only consider contractors who are licensed and insured, and check with your state or county to confirm the license is real.
Get at least two written bids and make sure the scope, materials, timeline, and payment terms are all in writing. If one bid is wildly cheaper than the rest, that is not automatically a deal; it is often a warning that something important was left out.
The best contractor is usually the one who is boring in the right ways: clear paperwork, responsive communication, and a paper trail you can follow if something goes sideways. If they push urgency or ask for odd payment terms, slow down.
Sources
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