You can have two of the following three: Good, Fast, Inexpensive (reasonable).
If you want it Good and Fast, it won't be Inexpensive. If you want it Fast and Inexpensive, it won't be Good. If you want it Good and Inexpensive, it won't be Fast.
Check Angie's Lists for reviews of contractors near you. Check the better Business Bureau. Check for references and actually call and go see them. Builders often rename their companies, sell their business to co-workers, etc. so they are hard to find 3, 5, 10 years later, even though they are the same people building. And often, a company that has been arond for years has been sold and resold, so the actual workers / owners are different every 3 to 5 years (So you cannot know if the quality will be the same). So make sure you find someone who has been around awhile. Looking at work that was completed within the year won't tell you half as much as work that was done 3 years ago.
The best way to ensure fair treatment and quality control of a construction project is to use a 3rd Party project manager who will oversee the work and costs. This can be accomplished with a Licensed Architect. This way you don't have to know the processes or methods, and don't have to trust the contractor's word. The Architect works for you and will help you find, hire and contract with the builder. They will also ensure the work is done as required.
Every contractor has a good project / bad project in their history. It is difficult to find a contractor with the qualities you list because their skill may be perfect for one Home Owner and useless for another. Having a good contract and a 3rd party to have an unbiased review of the work is the safest way to protect you and the contractor from a bad fit.
Source: http://www.aia.com
