How to Find a Licensed Contractor

Finding the right contractor is a difficult but important job.

Finding a licensed contractor can seem like tricky business if you are a new homeowner or have never worked with anyone before; there are so many contractors vying for business that it can be impossible to know where to start. However, there are a few basic guidelines and tips that help you to find the right contractor for your project. Of course, like almost anything, finding the perfect contractor for your job can take quite a bit of patience on your part.

Things You'll Need

• Local phone book or online telephone directory
• Computer with Internet access

Instructions

1. Contact family members and friends whom you trust for a referral. Preferably, anyone you contact for a referral should be a homeowner. Ask everyone you contact about his experiences with the contractor, and make sure it is somebody that he would hire again for work in the home. If someone is not willing to rehire a contractor, don't ask the person to work for you.

2. Talk to everyone you know and trust in a similar trade or in a business that relies on contractors regularly. Interior designers, architects, landscape architects and cabinetmakers are just a few examples of people who probably know a licensed contractor they can recommend to you.

3. Look in your local phone book or online directory for licensed contractors in your area. Be extremely careful when hiring a contractor not referred to you by someone you trust, but it is possible to hire a professional, licensed contractor through the phone book or Internet. Make sure the contractor has all of the appropriate documentation by checking your state's requirements. Websites like Contactor's License are good for finding what documentation a licensed contractor in your state needs. Also check your state's licensing board's online directory of licensed contractors to make sure any contractor you want to hire has a valid license in the state you are in.

4. Visit websites that rate and verify licensed contractors based on customer reviews, licensing and bonding. There are quite a few of these websites for consumers to check; a few of the more popular ones include Contractor Check and Angie's List.

Tips & Warnings

• When checking a contractor's license through independent sites, also check for liens and judgments if possible. While this information is not always available to the public, a contractor with numerous liens and judgments against him is probably someone to avoid.

References

• "Building Your Own Home For Dummies"; Kevin Daum, Janice Brewster, Peter Economy; 2005
• "Designing Your Dream Home"; Susan Lang; 2008

Resources

• Contractor Check
• Angie's List
• Contractor's License