A major home improvement project has a lot at stake. Homeowners are investing a significant amount of money and should rightly expect excellent results. Unfortunately, it can be nerve-wracking to find the right hands to put your massive project in.

Hiring a contractor for a major practice doesn’t have to feel as daunting as it does. Fortunately, preparation and research will help homeowners narrow down their options and select a candidate with the tools, experience and leadership to get the job done right. Here’s how.

Step 1: Find Your Prospects

Before you can do any vetting, you need to gather your options. Popular methods for finding recommendations include:

• - Asking friends, coworkers and family with recent home renovations
• - Requesting recommendations in Facebook groups
• - Reviewing contractor listings on popular listing sites, like Angie’s List

From the get-go, you can quickly scan through your options with a few basic criteria. You’ll want to find a decent number of good reviews from past customers, explore the business’ experience and specialties and determine whether you’re hiring an established professional.

Focusing on specialties is a great way to find a top-notch list of contractors. If you’re doing a big landscaping project, for instance, you’ll want to make sure the team has experience doing this type of work. This guarantees quality and makes for fewer headaches, as it’s more likely the firm has already invested in the right construction equipment for the job and has a network of quality subcontractors.

Step 2: Interview the Contractors

Now, you’re ready to begin collecting quotes and fielding basic questions about the project at hand. Request written estimates from the firms you have in mind, ask for a list of references, and ask about logistics like building permits and general timelines.

After this step, you can begin winnowing down your options more carefully. Watch out for lowball estimates that indicate desperation or a lack of professionalism. While price is a crucial aspect of a home improvement project, the last thing you need is a shoddy finished result.

At this point, you can also reference the contractor’s licenses, complaints and other legal notices. You can check your state’s boards and local courts for anything unexpected, and your contractor should be happy to provide their licenses and those of anyone else who will be working on the project.

Step 3: Contact References

Your contracting candidates should give you a list of references. It’s time to actually contact them. This is a great way to determine the level of service you can expect and find out whether previous clients were happy with the finished results. 

Once you have the quotes and recommendations in front of you, you’ll have an easier time picking a candidate you can trust for your major renovation.

Step 4: Determine Payment Options

Larger projects will require more financial planning — after all, you’re not just tossing $10 at the neighborhood kid to get your lawn mowed. The right contractor for your project will have a reasonable payment plan that allows you to pay the team in installments. Beware of handing over large deposits before the work even gets started.

Hiring a Contractor for a Major Renovation

The above steps will help you narrow down a sea of options so you can find the best candidate for the job. Just remember that your work isn’t over yet. Once you’ve selected a candidate, it’s time to work out a written contractor, negotiate some rules and make sure project permits are in place.