hiring a contractor

Found this article on hiring a contractor. I have heard horror stories about the contractor that took a ton of cash and then never did the job. I personally had an electrician who blew out my oven in my brand new kitchen and then said he didn't have the money to replace it. Of course, he presumed I did. Fortunately the contractor who hired him was responsible and found one for me. However, I have heard many stories where people weren't so lucky.

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109992-5811-2-tall-tales-your-contractor-tells?ywaad=ad0035

The article has some good points. But it missed a few. Ultimately, go with your gut.
If you don't feel like you can trust the person, you probably can't. Do some research, ask for references and see some of their work. I was recently called in on a job to select paint and help with the remaining decisions on the job. There were endless problems on this job and as the kitchen was almost in completion, the contractor admitted that it was the prettiest kitchen he had ever done. Now this is a lovely kitchen and a huge improvement to the client, however, it shouldn't have been his best. Look at the portfolio, ask questions about the pictures, what kind of budget did you have? Did you work within the client's budget? How long did the job take?

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CONTRACT! ohhh but it's a bother, doesn't matter. It protects you. A hint that you can put in your contracat is a bonus for the contractor if he finishes the job ahead of schedule.

One thing I don't like about this article is that it says you shouldn't have to pay for product up front. While many trades do offer credit, many do not. Some contractors may be trying to pay past bills and if you suspect that, then offer to pay the resource directly. The problem is that credit is hard to come by today as well and many contractors don't have the capital built up to front the money for you. I have seen contractors do exactly as this article says though so it is something to beware of, I just don't see it as a sure sign of a bad contractor. The contractors are cautious as well, they can't do a $10,000 job for $1,000 and then have the client suddenly not be happy at the end and refuse to pay it all. It is important to work WITH your contractor. Be clear on the decisions made and when they will be implemented.