Guidelines For Hiring A Contractor

1. Trust your instinct and "gut feeling."

2. License. Ask your contractor about their license. All plumbers and electricians must have a valid license. Carpenters are not required to have a license which is why there are so many people out there starting up businesses and messing up your home. If they do not have a license, ask about thier experience and any professional training they may have. Many of the women in our registry are professionally trained with a completion ticket. All licenses for the trades take approximately four years of full time hours to obtain the certificate.

3. Insurance. All contractors should carry insurance to protect themselves against injury and the home-owner against damage.

4. References. Once you have narrowed down your search, ask the contractor for references with similar services you would like done in your home. Ask questions such as, did the contractor show up on time, were the contractors safe and clean, did they get the services done on time, how is the quality of the work?

5. Contracts and Service Agreements. It is the contractor's responsibility to provide a contract detailing the estimate, detail of services to be rendered, supplies required, sub-contractors and payment schedule.

6. Ensure the contract has the Consumer Protection Act which protects the home-owner.