How Clean is Clean?
I once installed a kitchen for a gentleman who, the entire time, ran a shop vac twelve inches away from whatever task I was involved in, for the course of the entire project. For example, if I was screwing down a piece of plywood, every pull of my screw gun trigger would immediately be followed by the click of his vacuum's power switch, followed by a massive roar as the tip of his shop vac nozzle was kept a consistent eight to twelve inches from each screw being inserted, in the event that a loose particle of plywood might break away into the atmosphere. Now, granted, no one wants to have their home contaminated by dust and dirt, but we should know where to draw the line.
If you're considering a home improvement project, but are leery because you want your clean home to maintain a clean bill of health during and after completion of the project, here are my suggestions:
Check references: Ask point blank if they were okay with the contractor's ethics when it came to their home's cleanliness.
Look the prospective contractor over: Other than the sawdust in his hair, does he appear organized and tidy?
Be realistic: Looking around for a competitive quote for your job is certainly reasonable, but remember that the saying "you get what you pay for" does apply to the trades as well. Professionalism in a contractor is a commitment not only of work ethic but also of time and satisfaction. A contractor hired under the pretense of "get it done as cheap as possible" is not going to commit the time for detail and thoroughness to your project as would a contractor who feels compensated to do so.
If an economical price on your project is top priority, I recommend you offer to clean up after your craftsman. Make it abundantly clear up front that they don't have to worry about the mess. Trust me, it will have an effect on the price. There isn't a contractor out there who won't tell you there have been jobs where they felt more like a cleaning service than a carpenter. Do us a favor, though, and run the shop vac every other screw!