What's the best way to find subcontractors?
Your best subcontractors come from referrals and your own network. After that, you'll need a system to vet applicants and track who actually delivers. Here's how to source and evaluate subs that won't burn you.
Start with referrals from crews you trust
Ask the subs already working for you. They know who shows up on time, doesn't cut corners, and has their own insurance. A plumber recommending an HVAC company is worth more than a thousand job postings. Same goes for supply house guys—they see who buys quality materials and finishes jobs without callbacks. Your architect or inspector can refer trade partners they respect. Set up a referral rule: if one of your subs brings in someone who does solid work, give that referring sub a small bonus on their next job. That costs you fifty bucks and builds a pipeline of vetted people. Referrals take longer to develop but they're the most reliable source.
Use local industry networks and associations
Join your local contractor association—AGC, NECA, or the roofing equivalent in your area. You'll meet other GCs, and they'll mention who they use. Attend job sites and ask crews who they'd recommend for specific trades. Facebook groups for local contractors exist in most regions; lurk for a month, then ask directly. Hardware store bulletin boards still work in smaller markets. Post your number, but also watch for business cards other subs leave. When you're on a multi-trade job, talk to the electrician about their sub relationships. These networks move slower than algorithm-driven job sites, but the information is current and comes with context—you know if someone's pushing out garbage because the community tells you.
Post on job boards and vet thoroughly
Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Indeed still work for finding leads. You'll get noise, but also solid people. When subs apply, ask for three recent job references and actually call them. Ask specific questions: Did this person finish on schedule. Was the cleanup acceptable. Would you hire them again. Get their insurance certificate and verify it's active. Run a background check if you're comfortable with it—costs thirty bucks through a standard service. Schedule a short on-site meeting before you hire. Watch how they communicate, whether they ask questions about the scope. Someone who shows up late to a consultation will show up late to the job. If you manage multiple crews or subcontractors, tracking who you've called and what they said becomes critical—spreadsheets work, but having that in one place where you can reference it later saves time.
Build a repeatable vetting process
Create a checklist: reference calls, insurance check, background check, initial consultation, one small test job if it's a new trade. The test job matters. Give them a small project with clear expectations and deadlines. Pay them fairly for it, but use it to see if they communicate during the work, handle changes, and show up when promised. After that job, decide if they're someone you call again. Keep notes on every sub you use. Document whether they're reliable, the quality of work, how they handle problem-solving, and what their typical timeline looks like. When you need to fill a role quickly, you have a record to reference instead of starting from zero. Bad subs cost you more in time and rework than you'd spend finding good ones.
Bottom line
Referrals from your existing network are fastest and most reliable—invest in those relationships. For everyone else, do basic vetting: call references, check insurance, meet them, and give them a small test job. Keep records so you're not reinventing the wheel every time you need a sub.