Determining whether a contractor is "investor friendly"

[Justin R.]

I've been working with a contractor on my first couple projects - I got very lucky and happened to find someone who's skilled at the rehab game.  I've got a second concurrent project just about ready to go, though, so I need to find an additional contractor. 

How do you all identify an "investor friendly" contractor from your typical contractor?  By "investor friendly", I mean...

• Understands there's holding costs.  Works expeditiously.
• If it's a flip, understands current trends and can pick good value finishes that help the bottom line.
• If it's a hold, understands that, for example, a one-piece bath enclosure is far less maintenance for me than a tile bathtub surround.

I'm around for most of the big decisions, but it's the totality of small decisions that can make a big bottom line difference.

Other than networking, where do you look to find someone? And, what do you ask to figure out if they understand enough about REI to be able to work autonomously?

FWIW, these projects are in San Diego.