Rent for Reno: what is fair?

[Oksana Yurovsky]

What would be a fair trade between a property owner who wants work done on a home and a contractor who wants a place to live for the duration of the work?

Which factors should be brought into the equation - comparable rentals in the area? Cost of the renovation if one were to hire a contractor? Benefits to homeowner (such as increase in home value/equity?) something else?

[Justin Phillips]

I wouldn't recommend that method. You always want to align goals. If you want the property completed ASAP, but he has a free/cheap place to live as long as work needs to be done, I don't see that ending well.
Always incentivize your contractor for doing quality work, in a timely manner. That way, everyone is working towards the same goal.