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GET TO KNOW THE LINGO!Its easy sometimes to get confused with the lingo when your General
Contractor uses construction terms and building terms. Some of what they say is really important stuff meant to communicate something, but some of what they say is meant to confuse the homeowner. Like "How 'bout we cantilever over the cricket and add a rake fascia?"If you're ever unsure about something they (or a sub-contractor) says, pull up this page on your computer and click the builder's lingo , for the complete (and we really mean complete) Contractor's Dictionary. 
The NEW lingo, however, in this new era of planetary awareness is "GreenSpeak." More and more the materials and the work is going green. What's your carbon footprint? Do you know what your embodied energy is? What's the difference between Passive Solar and Active Solar? Click here,
Talkin' Green
, for an intro into GreenSpeak.Finally, you really need to know what the contractor means when he (or she, theoretically) says what he (or she, theoretically) says. So, we've compiled a Contractor's Primer to shed some light on things. Click on what a contractor means for your guide to understanding.
Here's 10 tips for making sure your contractor measures up: 1. Hire licensed contractors only. 2. Check a contractor's license number with the state. 3. Get three references; review past work. 4. Get at least three bids. 5. Get a written contract, and don't sign anything 6. Never pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000, 7. Don't let your payments get ahead of 8. Don't make a final payment until 9. Keep a job file of all papers 10. Don't pay cash.
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