I don't think your to far off. Cost of materials has risen dramatically.

Your best bet is to get referrals(friends or neighbors). Interview them well and check their references. Good contractors should be proud of their work and have a list of customers with projects similar in scope to what your doing. Don't be afraid to call them and drive by/see their work.

Good contractors are worth the wait and can easily have a 6-12 month backlog. Be weary of anyone who can start quickly or appears hungry.

Most contractors will probably be offering you ballpark pricing until you are ready to commit to them. There's a lot of effort required to put together a detailed estimate. A good estimate should be detailed and broken down, plans,permits, electrical, foundation, plumbing, heating, allowances for fixtures, tile etc.

If you live in a town with its own building department they too might be able to provide you a list of contractors. They sometimes don't like to do this for obvious reasons but they are usually familiar with whose doing work in your area and who some of the good guys are.

Most importantly, have a well written contract, detailing the scope, start and end dates, payment schedule and never let the money get ahead of progress.

__________________
2008 BMW X5 4.8i (E70)
Alpine White, Burl Walnut, Nevada Black, Sport Package, Cold Weather Package,
Premium Package, Technology Package,
Rear Climate Package, iPod adapter