Looking for a contractor

After finding out that the contractor wanted a 50% deposit for fixing the front of the house that I am selling (see The pace of life picks up) I decided to keep looking for a contractor.

I got in touch with a few more contractors and arranged for them to come and look at the house.

One of the guys didn't show up.

Another one came and gave me a verbal estimate for the work I wanted done. I asked him to prepare for me a written estimate of the original work I wanted done. I haven't heard back from him yet.

Another one came also. He works for a company that has been around for quite a while. This company strikes me as the most professional of all the contractors I've talked to about this project. He phoned me yesterday to ask whether I wanted to receive his estimate by fax, regular mail or email.

I'd like to make a decision this week and get this project going.