How to get a good estimate

I keep on repeating that in life, we keep on learning. I'm currently in the process of starting a small project for which I need a series of estimates as a way to secure the best value for my money.

There are lots of tools at my disposal. A good search engine is one, but it often excludes good people who aren't too technology-savvy, don't have a website, or can't be found on the internet. The phone book has become a useless resource.

Some names can pop up here and there, but many times, it pays to reverse-engineer the process, by going to a supplier or a wholesaler; get educated in both the process and the product or service needed, and then ask that provider if they have a list of folks that can do the job.

This is just an entry-point into the process and as one takes the plunge, it become easier to cross-check and discover even more different approaches that will yield additional good result.

By all means don't stick to a rigid method; instead, always look at a project from its unlimited number of perspectives!