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Once you‘re ready to shop around for a good contractor, take the time to do a little homework before making a decision about who you‘re going to hire. Ask your architect for names of suitable people. Talk to friends and relatives about renoâ€" vation work they‘ve had done. If they are pleased with the outcome, get the names of the contractors they used. You can also contact your local home builders‘ associâ€" ation to get names of renovation contracâ€" tors. (Con‘t from RE 10) talent to do this, you‘ll have to hire a proâ€" fessional. Contractors usually have a crew of individuals to do the basic renoâ€" vation work, while specialized tasks like wiring and plumbing are subcontracted to professionals in those fields. DO YOUR HOMEWORK Take the time to do homework You may also want to phone the Better Business Bureau in your area to see if any complaints have been filed against any of the contractors on your list. If at all possible, view the sites of other proâ€" jects and get references from satisfied clients. Once you‘ve confirmed the status of these firms, pick three to supply cost estiâ€" mates for your project. Give all three the same information about your project so they can give you accurate quotes. You should also include any special considerâ€" ations in the information you supply to the bidders, such as time constraints, cleaning provisions, and so on. Then contact these firms and get their business licence numbers. Also make sure they carry upâ€"toâ€"date public liability and property insurance. a td TTA m‘ w« Mecommume fli c MONIKA BLEWETT 842â€"7000 YOUR FIRST HOME? THE PRICE IS RIGHT! CIRCLE THIS ONB MONIKA BLEWETT 842â€"7000 As MONIKA BLEWETT 842â€"7000 "Call us first Once you have chosen a contractor, you‘ll have to sign a contract. This docuâ€" ment should include all pertinent inforâ€" mation, including a detailed account of the work to be done â€" including any subâ€" contracting work, and any warranties. It should also include a list of any permits which are required and an outline of who is responsible for obtaining them. Your decision shouldn‘t rest solely on the lowest bid; in some cases, an excepâ€" tionally low bid can mean that the costs haven‘t been properly estimated. Consider all the quotes carefully before making your decision. You should also get references for these contractors and check them. It‘s important to trust the person you select. THE CONTRACT Keep in mind that there are bound to be some minor modifications made to the project as it progresses. Any amendments should be documented by both the homeâ€" owner and the contractor, so that all costs can be accounted for. Renovation contracts should also include the overall cost of the work to be done and any payment terms, as well as the beginning and finishing dates of the project. You should also pay attention to the terms of payment before signing a conâ€" tract. Some contracting firms require a (See "Hammer" Page RE 13) (Homeowners should check with city hall before the projects get under way to make sure there will be no problem in obtaining the necessary permits, and to ascertain which permits are required.)