Maybe this should go into the "duh" section, but I've recently had a couple of friends that really got themselves burned (or nearly so) when they hired work to be done.  I think that sometimes people hand a problem to an expert, and get lulled into the idea that things will be done correctly, then walk off.  Missing out details, then paying someone to mess things up can be a real nightmare down the road.  There are a few things that you can do to avoid problems:

 

1.  Think, then tell them what you really want to have accomplish.    I know a guy who has an older car that had an awful, high pitch squeal.  He took the car in and told them to replace the main bearings, thinking that was the problem.  He came back and found the high pitch squeal to be as loud as ever.  He confronted the shop manager, who said they replaced the main bearings as the owner requested.  The owner never mentioned anything about the high pitched squeal, either determining the source or fixing it.  In the end, he was simply out $2,500 for an unnecessary repair.  Spending just a minute or two to decide what you really want to have accomplish will avoid any confusion to getting the job done.

 

2.  Watch them like a hawk.  Just because you agree to what is to be done, doesn't mean that the contractor will do it.  My neighbor hired a roofing company for roof repairs, and when they started work, they didn't want to remove the rotten wood from the roof before re-shingling.  He finally had to call the owner of the company to the site before the workers were willing to do what was agreed upon.  There are a lot of stories of paying good money for bad performance.  You have to get into the mind set that even though you are not the expert, you are still in charge of watching the project through completion.

 

3.  Get it in writing.  It's a simple enough concept, make sure everything is in writing before starting the project.  If there are any other last minute changes, make sure that is added too, even if it means hand-writing it into the contract. 

 

4.  Get references.  People really take a large gamble when they simply hire a contractor without checking them out.  Ask the contractor himself to provide references before they take on a job.  You may also check out your local bank, and ask for a list of reputable contractors that they would suggest.

 

5.  Get multiple quotes.  When getting a quote, don't just base it on the lowest price.  Make a list that you hand to every contractor, and when you get your estimate, make sure everything is mentioned again on their quote.  There is no point hiring a contractor to get half a job done, or at too high a price. 

 

6.  Avoid change orders.  There is nothing worse than getting a great quote, just to have your bill jack up during repairs.  A change order is sometimes ordered by a contractor, when they either under-estimate their job, or come across unforeseeable situations that they discover after the project started.  While it may seem harsh to do to the contractor, they are the expert, which was the reason they were hired in the first place.  You as the owner should not be penalized because of a sudden change that the contractor wasn't prepared for.  A change order can also be used to scam the owner, so they can lowball a quote during the bidding process, just to raise later when you are in a vulnerable position with the project.  Make it clear that there will be only one price on this project, and that a change order will not be allowed.  If there are any overages, the contractor will have to absorb them himself.  Absorbing costs is part of the contractors job when making a quote in the first place.

 

7.  Pay in full after completion.  Pay for the work only after it's completed, so you can have leverage in case the there are problems with what was done. 

 

How To Choose A Contractor To Hire A Fast And Dirty Lesson In Beginner Investing Avoid Being Scammed When Buying A Used Cell Phone Save Money With A Amish Electric Fireplace? Find a Mentor For Your Career When it Makes Sense to Pay Off a Zero Percent Loan Paying off Debt vs. Investing Marginal vs. Effective Tax Rate 2008 Tax Planning - Refundable vs. Non Refundable Tax Credits How to Settle Credit Card Debt Myself Your FICO Score Now Counts Authorized Users Wills do not Avoid Probate Court, Where Living Trusts Avoid Probate Completely Taking Out Debt Right Before Bankruptcy 3 Harmless Activities that Will Lower Your Credit Score Obama's Economic Stimulus Package (American Recovery and Reinvestment Program) Contribution Limits for 2008 and 2009 401(k)'s 2 Tips to Lower your Monthly House Payment Tax Stimulus Rebate for 2009 Stop Impulse Purchases (Buying) Chart of Debt Snowball (Affects of Exponential Decay on Debt Snowball) Call Your Telemarketer (Highlights for Children) - Is This How Bad the Economy Has Become? How to Increase Your Credit (FICO) Score in Four Easy Steps Questions to Ask Yourself Before Filing for Bankruptcy Helping Family and Friends (and Protecting Yourself) During the Credit Crunch Refinancing Your Home 3 Great Ways to Pay Off Debt Exponential Decay and the Stock Market 2 Methods for Creating an Effective Budget How to Manage Unpredictable Income