(Editor’s note: Curtis Smolar is a partner at Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley. He submitted this column to VentureBeat.) A reader asks: My company wants to use an engineer as an independent contractor.

Action 9 gets a lot of emails from viewers who’ve had trouble with home contractors. Our team put together this guide to help you the next time you hire a contractor.

WITH SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION TO SAVE YOU MONEY. FOLKS, I’VE TALKED TO MANY HOMEOWNERS OVER THE YEARS VICTIMIZED BY BAD OR SCAMMY CONTRACTORS. AND HERE’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I’VE LEARNED.

Learn the pros and cons of hiring contractors vs. employees to determine which type of worker is the best for your business.

Barbara has written professionally for more than two decades. In the past five years, she has specialized in creating real estate and home improvement content. Besides writing for Forbes Home, she ...