Structuring contractor agreements

[Ed Canales]

I have a project that is about to start, a single property home in Maryland. After seeking the estimate of several contractors that mostly turned out to be less than professional , I have chosen the one for this project. Out of 5 contractors , with the most classic excuses for the delayed bid for 3 weeks or just not answering their phones and returning emails, which has been disappointed and frustrating. However , glad this disappointment occurred at this stage and not during the project. Now, I have done a couple flips before, and had no issues with the contractor payment schedule and cost. This time around , I want to improve my project management flow by having a more formal contract and estipulations as to the work quality , delivery expectation and payments. Where can I get a contractor agreement and how to structure the project to be beneficial for both me and the contractor working on the project. How much do I pay him up front , and how I can emphasis the quality finishes I expect. Thank you   Ed    [removed email address]