Newly updated and revised to reflect the latest prices, materials and consumer-protection information, How to Hire a Home Improvement Contractor Without Getting Chiseled is must reading for anyone who plans to embark on a home improvement project. Tom Philbin, a home improvement expert offers sage tips and reliable advice on the steps you need to take to ensure a good job at a fair price. Topics covered include:planning a projectsoliciting bidsselecting a contractor or architectobtaining a loanpreparing a contractsupervising worksettling disputesand staying in control of the moneyComplete descriptions of dozens of actual home improvement projects show you how the jobs are done and how to detect and avoid ripoffs and faulty workmanship. More than one hundred photos, charts, and diagrams follow projects from blueprint to finish. Read Less