Word of mouth, look for someone working in your neighborhood, etc. Anybody worth a dam on the NY area in todays climate is going to be 6 months out minimum. Any sooner than that and it is a HUGE red flag.

Where in Nassau are you? I’m on the North Shore. All the trades people over here are booked months out, and thus, not much interested in small jobs. There’s difficulty getting product, too.

Any chance that Lowe's or Home Depot stock your chosen tile or laminate? If you purchase through them, you could use their installation services.

Yes, actually I saw the Wilsonart sample in a Home Depot. So I guess that might be one way to go for the countertops.

I am in New Hyde Park.

I just used the BBB to spec out a small job I need done. Many companies on their website now have a "Request a Quote" button. It allows you to fill out a form with a complete description, time frame, measurements, and photos of your project.

I had a guy call me back in less than a day because he could do my small job in a few hours.

No wasting time leaving phone messages, etc.

The BBB even offers to send your request to other nearby companies.

It's an easy way to throw out a wide net....