How To Hire a Contractor

It can be a very stressful endeavor to hire a contractor you do not personally know. We realize you want to hire someone who is honest, trustworthy, dependable and will get the job done in a professional and timely manner. We are positive you will find us to be that kind of contractor. But still there are some Do's and Don't's in helping you find a good contractor. Note some of the following tips:

• Rush into the repairs, no matter how badly they are needed.
• Hire the first contractor who comes along unless after talking to others you feel he is the best.
• Be victimized by someone making a door to door presentation offering to do a paint job on the spot and requiring a cash deposit. An enterprising contractor may take a door to door s ales approach. However, even on the smallest job, you must get proof that the person who you are dealing with has a valid contractor's license in the trade for which you expect to have the work done. Get a written contract that contains all the details of the job to be performed.
• Don't pay cash.
• Don't let any payments get ahead of the work completed.
• Don't pay the full cost of the job up front.

• Deal only with licensed contractors. Consumers have very little recourse against unlicensed contractors. You can call the Registrar of Contractors in Arizona at
• Ask to see the contractor's license or registration. All licensed contractors are issued licenses which show the type of trade for which they are licensed and the expiration date. I f the person does not have a license, but is working for a contractor, get the phone number and call the contractor to verify his contractor status.
• Call the contractors board to verify the contractor's name and their license or registration number. Ask if their record is clean or does he/she have any complaints and what type of complaints were they.
• Get at least three bids from contractors.
• Ask for a recent reference list. Contact the bidding contractors reference list asking questions about performance in areas that concern you.
• Require a written contract with the contractor's license number on it and do not sign until you understand all its terms. Make sure any further verbal agreements are put in writing and added as an addendum to the contract.