Locating a good contractor involves more than just looking in the telephone book. When you hire a contractor you want to know the company has a good reputation and a history of satisfied customers.

The most reliable source of contractor leads is often friends, family and neighbours. If you know anyone who has recently had work done on their homes, ask them about their contractor. Find out if the contractor lived up to expectations and delivered what was agreed to. Ask if they had any problems with the contractor and, if so, how these were resolved. And most importantly, ask if they would hire the same contractor again.

You can also contact your local Home Builders' Association and request a list of members. Most Home Builders' Association also offer an on-line directory of their members. Membership in an industry organization like a Home Builders' Association is a sign that a contractor is committed to their profession. However, industry associations do not serve a regulatory or licensing role, so you still need to check the references and reputation of any contractor you identify this way.

If you are looking for a trade contractor, determine if that trade has an association branch in your community. If so, this organization can likely provide a list of members.

If you attend a home show in your community, look for local contractors who do the type of work you are planning. This will give you a chance to talk with a number of contractors, see photographs of their projects and get a sense of "who does what". Home shows are a great opportunity to learn about construction products and materials and get lots of free advice from professional contractors.

Finally, if you have not been able to put together a list of prospective contractors through any of the methods mentioned, you can always consult the Yellow Pages™ or even look for local business advertisements posted on grocery store bulletin boards. Just remember that the size of an ad has little bearing on the quality of a contractor. When you locate contracts based only on advertisements, you need to take extra care to get and follow up on references.