It might be a cliché, but in the same way that a few bad apples can ruin a bunch, the few sketchy or ill-prepared contractors out there can often help to give contractors a bad reputation. After all, you or someone you know likely has a horror story where someone has been severely overcharged or hired an inexperience contractor who did a subpar job. Thus, to save you any future headaches, here is our guide for finding the best remodeling contractors Cleveland, Ohio.

One of the most surefire ways to find a fantastic contractor is by simply asking friends or acquaintances you trust for referrals. They will often be able to give you the best advice, but be sure to be thorough in your questions, finding out “why” a particular contractor comes so highly recommended and ask if he or she would hire that contractor again.

Another great first step in terms of finding trustworthy remodeling contractors Cleveland, Ohio is by researching online. A great first place to start is the site Angie’s List where people from all over the country post reviews of contractors and rate them, giving you a quick and easy way to find the best candidate.

Once you’ve found some potential candidates, the next step is to review a remodeling contractor’s credentials by either looking at their resume website. Try to find out whether he or she holds all the required licenses from state and local municipalities and if he or she is part of any professional associations. The goal should be to find contractors that have invested time in the proper course work for their specialties and have passed challenging test to earn specific certifications.

After you’ve done your homework and whittled down your list to the top three candidates, interview each contractor in person and get a first-hand feel for what he or she is like and if you feel like he or she will do a great job at a good price.

Finally, when hiring remodeling contractors Cleveland, Ohio, be sure to request references from your favorite candidate and call both the references they give you and any other previous customers of theirs you can find. Ask them how the contractor was at completing the project and whether they stayed on time and on budget.

While the above steps might require considerable more steps than simply opening up the yellow pages and hiring the first contractor you find, each step will take you one step closer to hiring the best remodeling contractor possible.