Finding the right home improvement contractors for your renovation or remodeling project is essential. It’s not enough to find a contractor: She must be skilled in the right areas. Depending on the size of your home improvement project, you may opt to hire specialty contractors or look for the services of a general contractor.

Types of Specialty Contractors

Specialty contractors are home improvement contractors trained in particular trades. Well-known examples of home improvement specialty contractors include plumbers, electricians, roofers, carpenters and painters. Other types of specialty contractors include:

• Architects: Specialty contractors skilled in structural design
• Asbestos removers: Specialty contractors trained in the safe removal of dangerous asbestos insulation
• Concrete contractors: Tradesmen skilled in the production and placing of concrete, including foundations, sidewalks and driveways
• Insulation contractors: Specialty contractors who deal with all forms of home insulation
• Interior designers: Contractors who specialize in a room’s layout, choice of lighting, paint colors and other aesthetic choices
• Landscape designers: Contractors who plan and implement landscape and garden features
• Locksmiths: Contractors who deal solely with the installation, repair and removal of security locks
• Masons: Stone-workers that deal with retaining walls, brickwork, walkways and other stone or brick related projects
• Structural engineers: Specialty contractors required to ensure new buildings or remodeled buildings possess structural integrity.

What Is a General Contractor?

A general contractor is best suited for home improvement projects that require different types of contractors. A general contractor oversees the entire project, supervising specialty contractors, arranging work schedules, and acting as a foreman for the work site. A general contractor may have specialty contractors he employs, or subcontract portions of the home improvement project to other home improvement contractors.

Casual Workers and Home Improvement Contractors

Homeowners may hire casual workers in addition to general and specialty contractors. Casual workers include people who perform odd jobs, garden maintenance and small-scale repair work.

Casual workers are not home improvement contractors. Generally speaking, casual laborers are not registered with the state, and work either for a set fee or an hourly rate. Casual workers also often lack liability insurance, leaving homeowners responsible for any damages or injuries incurred on their property. Both general and specialty contractors should be state licensed, and have adequate insurance and worker’s compensation.