Finding contractors and getting bids

[Josh Chappell]

My brother just bought his first rental and we had a few questions regarding contractors, getting bids, and the best practices for a big rehab. (Big for us equals = full kitchen rehab, full bathroom rehab and laundry room, along with other minor details throughout)

1) What is the best way to find a quality, trustworthy contractor? Craigslist, Angie's List, Word of Mouth, etc. (The rent house is located 30 minutes north of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

2) What is the best way to select the right one once we have had a few bids on the project? What do we ask during the walk through with the contractors?

3) How do we make sure they finish on-time and on-budget?

Any help, ideas, spreadsheets, etc. would be great. We have never purchased a house with this much renovation needed.  Usually we do the minor fixes but this is out of our range. Thanks again!