I’m obviously all for learning new home improvement skills to save a little money and take pride in my home, but one of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the years is when to try it myself and when to call in the professionals. Mind you, I’m sometimes half-way into a project before I realize that I’m way over my head, but later is sometimes better than never.

Unfortunately hiring someone to come into your home and do work is sometimes a risky proposition with all the scam artists and disreputable contractors around today. While there are plenty of top-quality contractors out there, it is sometimes difficult to find them amongst all the ones that aren’t. That’s why the Federal Government has put together a website listing some useful advice on how to hire a home improvement contractor.

Among some of the things you should always do when hiring someone is ask some questions such as these from the site:

How long have you been in business?
Are you licensed and registered with the state?
How many projects like mine have you completed in the last year?
Will my project require a permit?
May I have a list of references?
Will you be using subcontractors on this project?
What types of insurance do you carry?

And always, even after getting these answers, try to check references.

Personally I almost never go to the phone book when I need someone to do some work. Instead I ask my friends, my coworkers and even my neighbors if they know anyone who has done similar work for them that they were pleased with. I’ll even visit their home to see the work if possible. If you ask, most people are more than willing to share the truth about experiences, both good and bad, they’ve had with various contractors.

Good luck!