There are few decisions to be made when building or remodeling a home that's more important than your choice of general contractor. Your contractor will provide a professional service which will have as much impact on your life as when you choose a doctor or a lawyer. You should expect to interview three to five contractors for a major project, perhaps just one or two for a minor job. Here's a checklist of the most significant issues to consider:
Match the builder to the project. Many contracting firms specialize in detailed remodeling projects such as kitchens and bathrooms and work well and efficiently at that scale but they may not be able to handle the complexity of a whole house project. Likewise, if your project is a small deck addition you probably won't get the best value by hiring a house builder. The fact that a builder may be willing to bid on your project doesn't necessarily mean he or she is well suited to it.
Check references. Yes, this is an obvious one but we recommend that you ask for the names of clients whose projects are fairly similar to your own, and you should speak to at least one recent or current client and at least one whose project has been completed for several years. Client references should be as local as possible: a contractor who has stayed in business in your community for many years is usually doing something right.
Can you communicate with each other? Clear verbal communication is paramount. Your contractor is going to be responsible for spending and managing large quantities of your money and you should expect a clear accounting for every dollar spent. You should expect your contractor to be ready to communicate in plain language any critical point without using trade jargon to obfuscate or deflect, and you should also be comfortable with the body language. Does he or she look you in the eye when discussing critical issues? Are your respective personalities a good fit?
Nuts and bolts issues. Does their schedule match your needs? Are they based locally enough that they can supervise the job properly? Will they use direct employees or subcontractors for the major aspects of the work? Who will be on site on a daily basis managing the job?