There's a reason why more than 80 percent of new home builders hire a general contractor to do the job instead of taking it on themselves. And it's a good reason. Many people would rather leave the complex job of building a home in the capable hands of an experienced professional.

How do you find the best general contractor for your project? Well, it's important to note that not only must the contractor you engage be able to complete a well-built home to your specifications within your budget, the personality and style of the contractor must also work for you.

A good first step is to begin by asking friends and family for recommendations. Once you've identified a group of contractors, put the project out to bid. What does this mean? It means giving the contractor your plans and specifications and asking for an estimate.

Once the contractors put in their bids, you can weed out the ones that are over your budget. But by no means should you go ahead and choose your contractor now based on the lowest bid. Hold up here a second! We are not done here yet, and cost, while important, should never be the determining factor.

Once you have a handful of contractors within budget, take a look at other houses they have built. Do you like the style? Is the craftsmanship good? Do the houses seem well-built? What kind of warranty does the builder offer? Be sure to ask for references from each builder, then ask those references about any problems, if any, they have had with their homes. It's fine too to talk to people not on the reference list, as this may give you some invaluable insight.

The last consideration, and probably the most important to your decision, is how compatible you and your builder are. Are you the type of person who wants to be involved and informed every step of the way? Then a builder who is okay with giving up control is probably a good match for you. On the other hand, if you are busy and don't want to be very involved at all, then you are probably best suited to a take-charge contractor who doesn't require your guidance.

Taking your time and following a few simple steps can ensure you pick the right contractor. And picking the right builder is integral to building the home of your dreams.

Good communication between you and your contractor is the best way to ensure that your project runs smoothly without any glitches. How much communication is enough? Well, in most cases you cant communicate too often. More communication is always better than less. Communication And since there is something new happening on your project more or less every day, a good rule of thumb is to check in with your contractor once per day.

Now, chances are both you and your contractor are very busy, and even with the best of intentions it is going to be difficult to follow through with meeting once per day. Well, thanks to modern technology there is no need for a physical meeting, and daily communication couldn't be made any easier. If daily meetings in person are just not possible, don' t let that stop you from checking in regularly. Use your phone or email instead. Why do you need to have a meeting every day? Well, it all is going smoothly you'll know it and will have peace of mine. But if issues or problems arise—and they will—you'll have a better chance of nipping them in the bud.

Communication

It's a very good idea to come up with a list of questions that you would like answered in your daily update. Make your contractor aware of these questions, so that he knows what to expect. Ask the same questions every day, and your updates, if all is going well, shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Some questions you want to ask might include:

• What did you work on today?

• Are you still on schedule and on budget?

• Did any problems, issues, or concerns arise today regarding the project?

• What are you working on tomorrow?

• Is there anything you need from me today to keep this project running smoothly on time and on budget?

Remember, communication works both ways. If you are having any issues—say you don't like some aspect of the way the project is going—it is important that you bring this up to your contractor as soon as possible. Communication Your contractor may be building you your dream house, but that doesn't mean he can read minds!