A Los Angeles Times Special Report : Coping With The Quake : Recovering From Disaster, Preparing for the Future : Before You Call a Contractor . . .

The quake has hit and now you want your home or business back in one piece as soon as possible.

Before randomly picking a contractor from the phone book, owners should do a spot inspection after the earthquake: Walk around the property and check the ground for muddy spots that would indicate a broken water or sewer pipe; check gas meters for leaks--a rotten egg smell is a giveaway; check all overhead electrical and phone lines for damage, and check water heaters, furnaces and air conditioning units for leaks, broken wires or broken plumbing.

When a home or businesses has broken windows, it may be smarter to board them up--and have them inspected--instead of immediately replacing the glass.

“If it shakes enough that your metal structure is out of whack, then the windows should be boarded up because the new glass will be out of line,” said Jennifer Loudon of Crystal Glass, a board-up service in Santa Ana.

After the self-inspection, property owners should call their county or city building department--or a private consultant--and ask for an inspector to assess the damage, said Christine Diemer, executive director of the Orange County Building Industry Assn. This service is usually free when done by a municipality.

BIA chapters throughout the area have lists of licensed contractors who are members of the trade group. The Greater Los Angeles-Ventura chapter’s number is (818) 591-2001.

If you do need to hire a contractor, here are guidelines:

* Get several bids and remember that any deal that sounds too good to be true usually is.

* Ask to see the contractors’ wallet-sized license and a driver’s license or some other form of identification. Check to make sure the name on the pocket license and second form of ID match. It is illegal for a contractor to use another’s license.

* A full-service inspection, which includes checks for roof, plumbing and structural damage, should cost about $200.

* Call the Contractors State License Board’s toll-free line, (800) 321-2752, to ensure that the license has not been suspended.

* Ask to see a copy of the contractor’s certificate of workers’ compensation and liability insurance coverage. Call the contractor’s insurance carrier to verify that the policy is in force.

* If your insurance isn’t paying the bills and you have to borrow to finance a repair job, be wary of any contractor who insists on specifying who you select as a lender--you could become the victim of a kickback scheme that will increase your costs.

* Insist on a written contract that spells out exactly what will be done, what materials will be used, the brand names of any materials you prefer, the estimated time it will take to do the work, the timing of each payment and how any disputes will be resolved. Assume nothing--if it’s important, get it in writing.