Put Nose to the Grindstone to Find Fair Contractor

Thousand of Illinois homeowners face repairing flood damage. Butthe quest to find a reliable contractor isn't any easier forhigh-and-dry Chicagoans.

As with any renovation or home improvement, there are a numberof steps that consumer experts recommend an owner take when selectinga contractor: Ask friends, relatives and neighbors for names of companies thatthey've used and been happy with. If you don't know anyone whose hadwork done recently, call the National Association of the RemodelingIndustry, a trade group (312-261-6274). Avoid contractors soliciting work door-to-door and be cautious ofthose arriving in unmarked trucks or giving post office boxes astheir …