If you've been reading here a while you know we have a rather extensive home remodeling project going on. I'm happy to report at long last we're nearing completion. In a few weeks' time we should be saying good-bye to the last of the contractors we hired to do work here.

Now that we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel our stress-o-meter is starting to come down out of the "critical" range. Soon we hope to be completely relaxed and enjoying the benefits our hard-earned investments have brought us.

Not the benefits of our labors, mind you. This project was well beyond the DIY realm. We've invested time and money to hire the work out. We've learned quite a bit about how to choose a contractor for the work. Much of what we learned is well beyond the ordinary lineup of things to watch out for. Checklist items such as how long a contractor has been in business, references, lien waivers and insurance certificates only go so far. Everyone should know if you do all the things the Better Business Bureau tells you to do when selecting a contractor you're still rolling the dice. Here are three simple things you might not find written down anywhere, but that you might find helpful when choosing a contractor for your next home remodeling project.

1. Choose someone you know. Or choose someone who someone you know knows and trusts. Here I go again about networking, but there is no denying it works. And it works particularly well for choosing a contractor, because nearly everyone you know has hired someone somewhere along the line to do some work. They can tell you the ones who do good work and the ones to avoid. Best of all, the information is reliable - much more reliable than the references your contractor will provide in trying to win the job.
2. Don't haggle the price. Focus on delivery. Get exactly what you want and maybe a little more for your money. I have a neighbor who prides himself in squeezing every last nickel out of people who do work for him. Is it any wonder he complains about the poor job he thinks they do?

   There is no point in beating up a contractor on price. This person would probably be willing to offer you more value for the price quoted, but demanding to pay less just says you want to go the cheap route. Cutting your contractor's pay takes away motivation to do good work. Do you really want a disgruntled worker on your payroll?

3. Don't choose the lowest bid without good reason. Bear in mind that many of the bids you'll get not only reflect the value of the job to be done, but they also say something about the contractor.

   I've seen ridiculously high prices quoted by arrogant contractors. Others bid high because they either didn't fully understand the extent of the work to be done or they had plenty of other jobs in hand, maybe both.

   Beware the low ball bid because this contractor too may not understand the extent of the work. Or he may be planning to cut corners. He may underbid because he needs the work; and he may need the work because he's not that good at what he does. As harsh as this might sound, it's a tough and unfair world out there where the weak struggle to survive. Desperate people do desperate things. None of them are good for your remodel project, your wallet or your stress levels.

These three simple things might seem like only so much common sense, but when you're looking at bids and listening to sales pitches you'll want to remember them. Do as much as you can to set emotion aside and analyze your potential contractors' proposals with a critical and objective eye, because once you sign on the dotted line, everything can change. If you've chosen well, those changes will all be for the better.

Further reading on our home remodeling project: How to keep your contractor honest