This is a follow up or update on
how to choose a competent building contractor----
(http://www.buildingcontractorsecrets.com/2007/11/how-to-hire-competent-building.html#links) written by me  a while ago.
For general repairs in your home the most common mistake is to look for a
contractor /artisan when you have a repair to do. This time you are
already under pressure to get it fixed, so you are most likely going to
accept the first tradesman you see.
The disadvantages of this is that you won't want to price the work for
long. You have not had time to know more about that person and how good he is .
So when you get to a new place , please look for general services and
emergency contractors like plumber, electrician e.t.c
Yes, one of the easiest ways as also written by me in the older post is
to get references from friends and family members.
Another one is to get the reference from a building professional like
architect, structural engineer,builder e.t.c
He (the pro.) must have worked with the person he's refering as they are
in the same industry, the possibilities of testing and knowing the
competence of the contractor is there.
Take time to get some names, meet with them and have a rapport with
them, then you can access their level of professionalism. You can as well
arrange an appointment with them and notice their punctuality, some will
respond faster than others though this is not a sign that one is better
than the other, because the other person may be very good and busy hence
he may need more time, just access the individual and find how you can
place them on your schedule.

Read all
http://www.buildingcontractorsecrets.com/2008/08/how-to-select-good-emergency-contractor.html