1) Make sure any builder you use has certifications from the National Spa & Pool Institute (NSPI), including CBP (certified building professional) and CSP (certified service professional) certifications.

2) Always shop around and get different bids. Don’t be afraid to talk to people. Always ask for references. When you get them (and simply walk away if a builder can’t quickly produce references), actually call the people given as references and visit their pool if possible. Yes, I know, that’s a horrible hassle, but you’re not buying a box of doughnuts here.

3) Visit the showroom of the builder and ask some random questions, posing as a normal customer or someone who already owns a pool. Tell them you just bought a house with a pool and have no idea how to maintain it and what would they recommend. If the staff is courteous, knowledgable, and very helpful, that’s a good sign. If they’re clueless or otherwise can’t be bothered, beware the red flag.

4) Check with your local Better Business Bureau to make sure the company is in good standing.

5) Avoid any builder that requires a hugedown payment or any builder that pressures you into making a quick decision. You’re not buying a used car and any reputable builder will have plenty of business and won’t be desperate to push you into a deal, offering you special incentives or deals that are good for one week only, etc.

6) If any warranties are offered, always get it in writing before ever signing a contract. Don’t just take their word on it. When it’s time to sign the contract, go over it with a fine-toothed comb, just like you would any other contract that involves large sums of money exchanging hands.

To reduce the risk of hiring the wrong home remodeling contractor you should first do a little preparation yourself for the home remodeling project. It’s only natural to want to get the ball rolling and to start getting quotes for the job, but you can save yourself many headaches (and quite a few dollars) if you do some basic legwork first.

Sketch out and write down what you want remodeled. While you should try to make it as detailed as possible, don’t worry about whether or not it’s a “professional” plan. No contractor expects you to whip up perfect technical plans, so don’t let that intimidate you.

Provide a copy of this information to each prospective home remodeling contractor you meet with later on when getting quotes, so that you’re both on the same page as far as the general requirements you’re looking for in your project. If you are adding a home addition, patio, or deck, use stakes and string or even spray paint and mark the area on the existing lawn/ground.

After you sketch out your general plan, make a separate list of what materials you’d imagine would be necessary for your remodeling job. Again, you won’t think of everything or know the exact quantities, but you should be able to account for most of the major materials that will need to be purchased. Visit home improvement centers such as Lowes and Home Depot and note the costs of each item on your checklist. You’re not trying to come up with an exact figure and likely won’t be buying the materials yourself; the purpose of this step is to get a general feel for what the materials should cost, so that you can compare your own research with the quotes that you’ll get from contractors for your job.

You’ll also want to talk to your local building inspector to understand what permits and building requirements are necessary for your remodeling project. Don’t make any assumptions at this stage, as even the simplest of additions or changes to your home might require prior approval and permits.

When you start calling prospective contractors ask for references and previous work that you can visit. Reputable contractors should have long lists of happy, satisfied customers for you to contact. If they don’t, walk away. You have many options when it comes to hiring a contractor and there’s simply no substitute for a long history of satisfied customers.

Always get multiple quotes and make sure that they are in writing. Have the contractor state exactly how long the quote is good for, to avoid being given a different price if you select that contractor months later. Remember, too, that cheapest isn’t always the best, and that what seemed to be the cheapest bid might be the most expensive, if you have to have repairs done later to fix shoddy work.