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• Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here

What you will learn from this episode:

• Learn the six best places to find trusted contractors—and why Google shouldn’t be your starting point.
• Discover the interview questions that reveal how a contractor really communicates, manages projects, and works with designers.
• Identify the biggest contractor red flags before they become expensive problems on your job site.

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If you’ve ever started a renovation or new build and thought, “Okay…I need a contractor. Now what?” you’re not alone.

Finding the right contractor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make on a construction project. Get it right, and everything that follows becomes easier. Get it wrong, and no amount of beautiful design, detailed drawings, or thoughtful client communication can completely save the project.

The mistake I see most often isn’t hiring the wrong contractor.

It’s waiting until you desperately need one before you start looking.

I’ve been there myself.

The Contractor I Never Thought I’d Have to Replace

For more than twenty years, I worked with the same contractor.

If you’ve listened to the podcast for any length of time, you’ve probably heard me mention my “A-Team.” Todd was a huge part of that team. We trusted each other completely. We had developed rhythms over countless projects, understood each other’s communication styles, and knew how to solve problems together before they ever became client issues.

Looking back, that relationship was one of the greatest assets in my business.

But it also made me comfortable.

We worked with the same trades. The same vendors. The same systems. It worked beautifully, so there wasn’t much reason to keep expanding my network.

Then Todd retired. I knew it was coming. I just thought I had more time.

Almost immediately, a large renovation landed on my desk. It was exactly the type of project Todd and I would have tackled together—but suddenly I didn’t have my trusted contractor anymore.

Instead, I was scrambling.

That experience reminded me of something I wish every designer understood:

The best time to find a contractor is long before you actually need one.

Why Finding the Right Contractor Matters So Much

Every designer knows the contractor has a tremendous impact on a project. But I don’t think we always appreciate just how much.

When you have the right contractor, communication becomes easier. Problems get solved before they become emergencies. Clients feel more confident because everyone is pulling in the same direction.

The wrong contractor has the opposite effect.

Suddenly, you’re spending your time putting out fires instead of designing. Miscommunication becomes the norm. Trust begins to erode, and before long you’re managing personalities instead of managing the project.

No amount of beautiful design can completely overcome that.

That’s why I never think of hiring a contractor as simply filling a role on a project. I’m looking for someone who could become part of my team for years to come.

Please Don’t Start with Google

This usually surprises people.

Whenever someone asks how I find contractors, they expect me to recommend Google, Houzz, Yelp, or Angi.

Honestly, those are some of the last places I look.

Now, that doesn’t mean those websites are useless. They’re incredibly helpful once I already have a contractor’s name and want to learn more about them. But they’re not where I begin my search.

Google tells you who’s invested in marketing. It tells you who’s built a strong website. It tells you who’s paying attention to SEO.

None of that tells me how they run a job site.

It doesn’t tell me whether they communicate well with trades, respect designers, or know how to navigate the inevitable surprises that come with construction. It certainly doesn’t tell me whether they’re someone I’d enjoy working alongside for the next year.

Those are the things I actually care about.

So instead of asking Google for contractor names, I start by asking people.

The Best Referrals Come From People Already in the Industry

Over the years, I’ve found that the strongest referrals almost always come from someone who’s experienced that contractor firsthand.

The first people I call are my trades.

Electricians, plumbers, tile installers, painters, and cabinet makers spend every day working alongside contractors. They know who’s organized, who communicates well, who keeps projects moving, and who treats their subcontractors with respect. They also know who doesn’t.

That kind of insight is impossible to find in an online review.

Architects are another incredible resource because they see projects from beginning to end. They know who builds according to the drawings, who handles changes professionally, and who collaborates instead of creating conflict.

In fact, after Todd retired, one phone call to an architect gave me the two contractor referrals that ultimately became my finalists. That single conversation saved me countless hours of searching because it started with someone whose judgment I already trusted.

Don’t Overlook the People Already in Your Network

Other designers can be a fantastic resource, especially if their projects and standards are similar to yours. Some will happily share their favorite contractors. Others may be a little more protective, and honestly, I understand that too. Great contractors stay busy, and relationships like those take years to build. That shouldn’t stop you from asking.

Past clients are another resource that’s often overlooked. If they’ve been through a successful renovation, they remember things we sometimes forget. They know how responsive the contractor was, whether communication stayed consistent, and what the overall experience felt like from the client’s perspective.

Realtors can also provide valuable insight. They walk through completed homes every day and often know which contractors consistently produce quality work that holds up over time.

Even social media has become surprisingly useful. Designers and architects regularly tag the contractors they work with, so when I see a beautifully executed project, I always pay attention to who’s behind the construction.

Those posts aren’t a substitute for a referral, but they can certainly point you toward someone worth researching.

Research Comes After the Referral

Once I’ve gathered three to five names, that’s when Google becomes useful.

At that point, I’m no longer asking the internet to tell me who the best contractor is. I’m simply verifying the information I’ve already collected.

I want to look at their website. Read recent reviews. Browse completed projects. Sometimes I’ll even search their company name alongside words like “lawsuit” or “complaint.”

That isn’t because I’m looking for reasons to eliminate someone. It’s because I want to understand the full picture before recommending them to a client.

The Interview Will Tell You More Than Google Ever Could

Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a few contractors, it’s time to have a conversation. Not about your project, not yet. This first call is really about getting to know each other.

After Todd retired, I found myself interviewing two contractors who had both been recommended by the same architect. On paper, they looked remarkably similar. Both had impressive backgrounds. Both had worked for highly respected builders before starting their own companies. Both came recommended by someone I trusted.

If I had only looked at their resumes, I don’t know that I could have chosen between them. The conversations, however, told a completely different story.

The first contractor had only recently gone out on his own after working for a well-known luxury builder. That meant his independent track record was still fairly short, and I’ll admit, I weighed that carefully. There is always some risk in becoming one of someone’s early clients.

But as we talked, I could feel his willingness to collaborate. He understood that I already had many of the trades assembled for this project and had no problem working alongside them. He asked thoughtful questions, listened carefully, and never made me feel like I had to justify my role on the project. It felt like we were already beginning to build a partnership.

The second contractor had an equally impressive background. He’d spent years with another respected builder before starting his own company with his son. He was experienced, structured, and clearly knew construction.

Yet something felt different.

As we walked the project together, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t quite sure where an interior designer fit into the process. He wasn’t rude, dismissive, or difficult. In fact, he was perfectly professional. But there was an underlying sense that I would be another person to manage rather than another professional contributing to the success of the project.

That’s a very different relationship.

Neither contractor was wrong. They simply approached projects differently, and only one of them aligned with the way I like to work.

Experience Doesn’t Always Look the Way You Expect

Interestingly, I’d just experienced something that completely changed how I viewed hiring.

Another project had recently started for a longtime client. It wasn’t a large home this time, but a greenhouse, a formal garden, and a garden shed. The entire team was the same: client, architect, landscape architect, builder, but the superintendent had retired just before construction began.

His replacement was fresh out of college.

Honestly? I was terrified. For most of my career, I’ve been one of the younger people on a construction site. Suddenly, I found myself working alongside someone young enough to be my client’s child. I assumed I’d spend the project helping him find his footing.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

He was organized, professional, eager to learn, and incredibly responsive. Yes, there was additional support behind the scenes, but what showed up every day was someone who cared deeply about doing good work. By the end of the project, I wasn’t worried about his age anymore. I was excited to work with him again.

That experience reminded me that experience matters, but attitude, communication, and professionalism matter just as much.

Sometimes we make assumptions based on age or years in business when we should be paying much closer attention to how someone actually works.

Ask Questions That Reveal How They Think

When you interview a contractor, you’re not looking for perfect answers. You’re looking for insight into how they approach their work.

Some of my favorite questions include:

• What types of projects do you enjoy most?
• How many projects are you actively managing right now?
• How do you handle change orders?
• What does communication typically look like during construction?
• Have you worked alongside an interior designer on a renovation before?
• Can you tell me about a project that didn’t go according to plan and how you handled it?

Notice that none of those questions have right or wrong answers. What I’m really listening for is how they think.

Do they take ownership when challenges arise? Do they have a clear process? Can they explain how they communicate with clients and the design team?

Construction is full of surprises. I’m not looking for someone who’s never had problems. I’m looking for someone who knows how to solve them.

Listen Carefully to What Isn’t Being Said

One thing I’ve learned after more than thirty years in this industry is that people often tell you everything you need to know, you just have to pay attention.

If I ask about change orders and the conversation shifts to how long they’ve been in business, my question hasn’t really been answered.

If I ask what it’s like working with designers and the response immediately turns into stories about difficult designers from the past, I pay attention to that too.

The same goes for how they talk about previous clients. Everyone has difficult projects from time to time. That’s normal.

What I’m listening for is accountability. Do they speak respectfully about people, even when something didn’t go well? Or does every problem seem to be someone else’s fault?

Those conversations tell me far more than a polished website ever could.

Trust Your Instincts

This may be the least scientific part of the entire process, but it has probably served me better than anything else.

Trust your gut.

There have been contractors over the years where I couldn’t point to one specific red flag, yet something felt off. Every single time I talked myself out of that feeling, I eventually wished I hadn’t.

I’ve learned to stop arguing with my instincts. That doesn’t mean making emotional decisions. It means paying attention when your experience is trying to tell you something your brain hasn’t fully processed yet.

When the relationship feels right, you’ll know. When it doesn’t, you’ll usually know that too.

The Bottom Line

Finding a contractor isn’t something you check off a list once a project begins. It’s an ongoing part of building your business.

The designers who consistently run successful construction projects aren’t lucky. They’ve spent years building relationships with trades, architects, builders, and clients long before they needed them.

When Todd retired, I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked. But I did have a process. I knew where to look, who to call, and what questions mattered most. More importantly, I trusted what I heard and what I felt.

Today, I have another contractor I’m genuinely excited to build with, and I expect that relationship will continue for many years.

That’s really the goal.

You’re not simply looking for someone to build your next project.

You’re looking for someone who will become part of your team.

And those relationships are worth taking the time to build.

Like this Episode?

Be sure to check out Episode #161: A GC’s Perspective on the Power of Collaboration Between Builders and Designers with Sean Canada

Be sure to check out Episode #281: How to Handle a Contractor Who Stops Communicating (Without Blowing Up the Project)

Be sure to check out Episode #287: What Interior Designers Get Wrong About the People Who Build Their Projects