Where Are All The Good Contractors!!
By Celise Bealer, Fri Dec 9th

Have you ever had a bad experience with a contractor (ex.painter, roofer, plumber, landscaper, carpenter etc.)? Didproblems such as these occur: contractor showing up late or notat all; poor workmanship and work ethics; missed deadlines? Haveyou landed in court because of a bad contractor?

I can relate. Although finding a reliable and punctualcontractor who takes pride in his or her work often seemsimpossible, contractors possessing these characteristics doexist. The key is knowing how and where to find them.

Here are a few easy ways (outside of using the yellow pages) tofind contractors who will make you want to smile at thecompletion of the job, instead of cry:

·Ask family members, friends and associates for referrals ofcontractors who have worked for them. People close to you areusually more than happy to give you the name of someone who didexcellent work for them.

·Visit your local home improvement center. Employees andcustomer service representatives (CSRs) may be able to referquality contractors to you. Contractors patronize these centersregularly and sometimes leave business cards with the CSRs.

·Attend local home and garden shows. These shows are packed withhome improvement professionals who are eager to explain anddemonstrate the type of services they provide. Visit the variousvendor tables/booths. Retrieve information provided by theprofessionals and use this opportunity to ask any questions youmay have concerning your next project and your search for acontractor.

·If your city or town has a real estate association, attend oneof the regular meetings. The real estate investors, agents,brokers and others who attend the meetings can refer you toquality contractors. Some contractors are members of real estateassociations.

Remember, before hiring any contractor, do the following:

·Contact the Better Business Bureau to find out if thecontractor is a member of the bureau. If so, obtain a copy ofthe bureau’s report. The report contains general informationabout the contractor and will inform you whether or not thecontractor has a satisfactory record with the bureau. The reportalso contains information such as the number of complaints, ifany, the contractor received within a determined period of time(usually 36 months).

·Ask the contractor to provide references and pictures (ifapplicable) of his or her completed work from previous jobs.

·Make sure the contractor is fully licensed and insured.

·Try to obtain a minimum of 3 price quotes for the job to beperformed.

After you have selected a contractor for your project, be sureto PUT EVERYTHING IN WRITING! This can save you down the road inthe event that something becomes a disputable issue in court.Your contract should include a detailed description of the workto be performed; materials that will be used; timeframes (dates)for the progression and completion of the project; a costbreakdown for the project and payment information. Penaltyclauses should also be included for any breach of the contractby either party. The contract should be signed and dated.

By looking for contractors in the right places and doing alittle research prior to hiring a contractor, you will greatlyincrease your chances of having a satisfying and relativelytrouble free experience that will be a win/win for you and thecontractor.

About the author:Celise Bealer is an independent distributor for Tahitian NoniInternational. TNI markets an all natural health supplementcalled Tahitian Noni Juice, which helps people who suffer fromailments such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes and allergies.Tahitian Noni Juice, along with information about TNI’sunprecedented home-based business opportunity can be found athttp://www.tahitiannoni.com/cbealer. Celise’s email address iscbealer@tahitiannoni.com.