Picking the right contractor

[Patrick Hensley]

This is my first real post, so I apologize if there is a better way to present this or it has already been answered counltess times.

When I am ready for my first purchase, I plan to do a lot of the rehad myself. Being an engineer with house rehab experience, I feel like I can do a lot. But, I know I cant do everything that will need to be done and know I should budget for a contractor to finish when I realize I bit off more than I can chew.

What should I look for in a good first experience with a contractor so I dont get ripped off or left with a bad result?