A workman cuts sections of a bean at a housing site in Madison County, Miss., March 16, 2021. A general contractor who partners with a third-party lender to provide home improvement financing seems like a win-win: You get the renovation done by your contractor of choice, and it simplifies the question of how to pay for it. But contractors specialize in building and repairing, not financing, and they may not offer the best option. Loans through contractors are often unsecured personal loans, which can have higher interest rates than other financing options. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, file)
