Are you looking for a good general contractor to help you complete that home improvement or construction project? The good news is that there are hundreds and possibly even thousands of contractors that operate in your area. Not all of these contractors are reputable, so it is important to do your research before you choose which one you want to hire. Before you can do that you have to locate several contractors in your area first. Here are some super easy ways to locate general contractors who operate in your area.

  • Referrals

Referrals are the best way to locate a good general contractor, because they can give you details of the contractor’s past work. A referral can come from any person whose opinion you can trust. These can include your friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors or acquaintances. You can even check with your local home improvement store, real estate agent, building supply company or other industry professionals to see if they can recommend a specific contractor to you. Ask these people if they have ever used a specific general contractor before, if they were happy with the job they did and if they would recommend that you hire them.

 

  • Look online

An online search will probably return thousands of people who work as local contractors. All you have to do is to type something like “general contractor”, “home improvement contractor” or “contractor” plus your local zip code into a major search engine such as Google, Bing or Yahoo, and you will get lots of results. Just because these contractors show up with an online search does not mean they are reputable, so always do a little extra research before you make a decision.

 

  • Trade associations and local sources

There are several trade organizations that can help you locate reputable contractors in your region. Two examples of such associations include the National Association of the Remodeling Industry or NARI, which can be found at www.nari.org, and the National Association of Homebuilders, or NAHB, which can be found at www.nahb.com. You can also check with your local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for local contractor recommendations.