Q: How do I find a contractor or home improvement company that will do good work.
A:  This is how you do not get burned. Be careful using a contractor someone else has used and referred to you. What may be acceptable to them may be less than what you may expect. I have heard of nightmares in many cases. Be acute when it comes to those who advertise with flyers on windshields, newspapers, magnetic signs on personal vehicles, hand-outs and cold phone call sales. These may be signs of newcommers to the industry or a company that has no customer base or has a poor rating. Never hire any repairman or contractor who come-a-knocking at your door offering services after disasters or those that say we were in your neighborhood or down the street and thought you may need our services.

Q: How can I tell if the contractor, repairman, handyman or remodeler is qualified to do the job I have?
A: First, look at the type of services he or she offer. Do you see your project in their featured advertisement. Is it listed as a service in their advertisement or part of the name. Or, when you asked did they say "yes we do that to". There are many services that learn on the job. This is not a bad thing, but it is not a good thing neither when it comes to homes and the various components and systems within them. You may be able to tell if the contractor can do what you need by their advertisement content. Has he or she been trained or certified in the line of work they do. Have they walked you through the project step-by-step explaining the process before you hire them. Listen to the tone of voice and the quickness of answers to your questions.

Q: What is a Certified Contractor?
A: A certified contractor is any installer, repairman, service person or craftsman who works for him or herself and has been tested and holds proof of certification in the field of work or service he or she provides.

Q: What is a Licensed Contractor?
A: A licensed contractor is a person or persons who applied for and received a business license from the city or county where he or she lives or do business. The license is a government document stating this person can do work in the city or county on the business license certificate. The license has specific rules and guidelines for that business. It is not a certification of skill or training. In some cities and counties you cannot get a contractors business license unless you have completed some form of training and hold proof of completion or been in business for several years and held a business license in those years.

Q: What Is Green Building?
A: Green Building is many things. I will try to be brief but complete in the answer. It means less use of anything that can't be renewed naturally with little impact to the enviorment. It Means less ozone depletion, less forest depletion, less air polution, less oil and coal use, less water polution, less soil erosion and contamination as we live and on earth.

These things have a short term indirect impact on humans and life but a direct impact on our existance and habitat in the long run. It means finding ways to develope renewable energy and create incentives for utility customers who conserve energy and lower emissions. It also means those who waste energy or resources would be required to find ways to conserve or not receive credits and lower utility rates in the future. Those who continue to waste energy, deplete resources or do not lower emissions would face additional fines and penalties.

Green Building is being creative in the concept of energy efficiency and finding ways to conserve resources when it comes to buildings and structures.

All things that we use or use then dispose of will have to be considered a depletable resource and guidelines to conserve and renew shall be in place.

Everyone should try to maintain and operate their home or building in the most efficient way that he or she can. Achieving a level of energy efficiency will reduce overall building cost. This means that anyone who occupy, work in, work on, provide repair services for, maintain, or operate your building or home should be aware of the Green Building goal.