1) Only put 1/3 down, if possible
2) Provide and document a clear description of the work to be done
3) Set and document a start date
4) Set and document a completion date
5) Agree and document who does clean-up
6) Agree and document who will do finish paint
7) Understand the guarantee, get it in writing
8) Know any warranty , get it in writing
9) Pay with a credit card, if possible
10) Always check references
Alabama
http://www.ago.state.al.us/
Alaska
http://www.law.state.ak.us/department/civil/consumer/cpindex.html
Arizona
http://www.azag.gov/consumer/
http://www.ag.state.ar.us/consumer/home.htm
Arkansas
http://www.ag.state.ar.us/
California
http://www.dca.ca.gov/
Colorado
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/cp/
Connecticut
http://www.ct.gov/dcp/site/default.asp
Delaware
http://www.state.de.us/attgen/fraud/consumerprotection/consumerprotection.htm
Federal
http://www.firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/Consumer_Safety.shtml
Florida
http://statty.co.pinellas.fl.us/cpmenu.htm
Georgia
http://ganet.org/ago/consumer_info.html
Hawaii
http://www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/ocp
Idaho
http://www2.state.id.us/ag/consumer/
Indiana http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/
Illinois
http://www.ag.state.il.us/consumers/index.html
Iowa
http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/consumer.html
Kansas
http://www.accesskansas.org/ksag/Divisions/Consumer/main.htm
http://www.kdheks.gov/fpcs/index.html
Kentucky
http://ag.ky.gov/
Louisiana
http://www.ag.state.la.us/Consumers.aspx
Maine
http://www.maine.gov/ag/?r=protection
Maryland
http://www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/index.htm
http://www.dhmh.state.md.us
Massachusetts
http://www.ago.state.ma.us/sp.cfm?pageid=967
Michigan
http://www.michigan.gov/ag/
Minnesota
http://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/
Mississippi
http://www.ago.state.ms.us/divisions/consumer/
Missouri
http://www.ago.mo.gov/
Montana
http://doj.mt.gov/consumer/
Nebraska
http://www.ago.state.ne.us/
Nevada
http://www.consumeraction.gov/nevada.shtml
New Hampshire
http://doj.nh.gov/
New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/ocp.htm
New Mexico
http://www.ago.state.nm.us/divs/cons/cons.htm
New York
http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/
North Carolina
http://www.ncdoj.com/
North Dakota
http://www.ag.nd.gov/CPAT/CPAT.htm
Ohio
http://www.ag.state.oh.us/
Oklahoma
http://www.oag.state.ok.us/
Oregon
http://www.doj.state.or.us/finfraud/index.shtml
Pennsylvania
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/consumers.aspx
Rhode Island
http://www.riag.state.ri.us/civil/unit.php?name=consumer
South Carolina
http://www.scconsumer.gov/
South Dakota
http://www.state.sd.us/attorney/office/divisions/consumer/
Tennessee
http://state.tn.us/consumer/
Texas
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/consumer.shtml
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/consumer/
Utah
http://www.commerce.utah.gov/
Vermont
http://www.atg.state.vt.us/
Virginia
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/consumers/
Washington
http://finditconsumer.wa.gov/
West Virginia
http://www.wvago.us/frameset.html
Wisconsin
http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/index.html
Wyoming
http://attorneygeneral.state.wy.us/consumer.htm