Hiring a contractor for your home remodel can be an intimidating and nerve-racking task. How do you know if you are hiring the right professional for the job? What questions do you ask to make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate contractor, and not a scam artist who will take your money and leave your property a mess?

Most contractors are legitimate, reliable, and skilled professionals who produce high-quality work and coordinate activities efficiently to complete projects on time and within budget. However, like any industry, home contracting has its share of bad players — and it is up to you, the homeowner, to identify them before you agree on the project rather than after the fact, when it’s too late.

The accompanying infographic, Red Flags Before Hiring a Home Contractor, offers tips for anyone thinking about a renovation or remodeling project. The infographic tells you what to look for when interviewing a contractor, and describes the warning signs that the person you’re talking to is not the one to hire. A 10-minute time-out to digest this information could end up saving you thousands of dollars and preventing months of stress and anger.