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Part one: Where to start

The home improvement market is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States with California claiming the lion's share. With one-sixth the country's population, that should come as no surprise. Add in the fact that our property values exceed most other states by a huge margin and you have a recipe for a healthy after-market construction business. This has prompted many homeowners to invest in getting the home they have always wanted. Gourmet kitchens, bathroom retreats with spa tubs and room additions are all popular projects these days. If you find yourself part of this group, there are some things you should know about finding and working with a contractor.

First of all, have a clear idea of what you want to get done, how soon you want the project completed and/or the budget you are willing to put toward it. As a contractor, nothing is as frustrating as getting the following call:
Caller: "Hi, this is Mary Smith. I would like to get an estimate on getting my kitchen remodeled. Do you give free estimates?"
Me: "OK, Mary, we can certainly help you with that project. We don't normally charge for estimates, but let me ask you, do you have a set of plans drawn up showing what you want?"
Caller: "No, we would like to get some ideas and find out how much it will cost."
Please note: What she is asking me to do is devote an hour or two of my time to designing her kitchen at no charge.
Me: "OK, I'm sure I can help you with the design. Have you come up with a budget for remodeling your kitchen?"
Caller: "We're not really sure. We were kind of hoping you could tell us how much it will cost."
Translation: We don't want to tell you how much money we are willing to spend because if we do, that is how much you will charge us for the project and we are hoping we can get it done cheaper than that.

The bottom line is this: Either you have a budget you are willing to spend on the project and the design must fit within the budget; or, you have a specific design in mind and the budget is flexible. Telling a contractor that you have no idea what you want and don't know how much you want to spend will likely result in no contractor showing up to your home. If you have someone draw out your project with a complete list of specifications, you can solicit bids from contractors to complete the project and take the one you feel the best about (which will almost NEVER be the lowest bid.) If you have a firm budget in mind, then invite several companies to give you

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