As anyone who has any experience working with contractors will tell you, finding the RIGHT contractor for your project entails much more than just finding the lowest price. Less tangible items like your ability to communicate and feel comfortable working with your contractor will inevitably proved to be much more important in determining your eventual satisfaction with the job -- particularly if it is a large project.

Here are some questions G. A. Herzog Construction recommends you ask before signing a remodeling contract.

1. Ask for references Talk to homeowners this contractor has done work for in the past. Were they satisfied with the work? Was the work finished? Did the contractor keep to the agreed- upon schedule? Did the contractor return phone calls?

2. Get two or three specific written bids As much as possible, make sure that you explain the job fully to each of the contractors to ensure each one bids on the same exact job so that you can compare the estimates "apple-to-apple".

3. Don't automatically accept the lowest bid The old saying "you get what you pay for" applies here. A higher bid may be worth the price in better materials, workmanship and reliability. A large number of complaints filed against contractors are the result of homeowner taking the lowest bide and then being unhappy with the low quality of work.

4. Make sure your contractor is properly licensed. A license is not an endorsement of the quality of work. It provides some financial protection for you, the customer.

5. Make sure your contractor is properly insured. Ask your contractor for a copy of his proof of liability insurance and bonding or the name and number of his/her insurance agent to call and verify proof of coverage.

6. Most importantly...Do you trust this person to work on your home? When it comes down to it, the most important thing to check is your own gut feeling. How do you feel about this contractor working on what is probably your single largest investment -- your home?