We’ve all heard the horror stories: the cabinets that fall off the wall, the tiles carelessly broken, the handyman who simply leaves a project unfinished. Hiring home improvement contractors who are both reliable and skilled is a perpetual challenge for homeowners. Last week, the state announced an initiative to make the process a little bit easier.

Starting this month, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation will be running a campaign to encourage contractors to register with the state and to educate consumers about their options when facing problems with their contractors.

“We want to let consumers know that there are resources available to them if they are aggrieved by a home improvement contractor,’’ said John Chapman, undersecretary for consumer affairs and business regulation.

The first and most important step, Chapman said, is for homeowners to make sure they hire a contractor who is registered with the state; the consumer affairs website at mass.gov/ocabr provides a database of registered contractors. For most home improvement workers, registration is optional but valuable, Chapman said.

“It shows this is a contractor that is mindful of what the law is,’’ he said. “If they approach it seriously, they are going to approach their job seriously and do it well.’’

For licensed tradesmen like electricians and plumbers, you can also visit the website of the Division of Professional Licensure to ensure a potential contractor is properly certified. Ask for — and check — the references of any contractor you consider hiring, Chapman added.

But why go through the effort? Why not just hire the guy your sister-in-law used?

The short answer is money. The state operates a Guaranty Fund, financed by contractors’ registration fees, that can reimburse homeowners up to $10,000 for contractor work gone awry — but only when the work was done by a registered party. Hiring a registered contractor also gives a homeowner access to the state’s arbitration services, in which neutral, third-party arbitrators hear disputes and issue legally binding rulings.

The state’s campaign is also trying to get more contractors to register or renew their lapsed registrations. Thanks to recent efforts, registration this year is up 67 percent over the same time last year, much to consumers’ advantage, Chapman said.

“Our home is the biggest investment for 99 percent of us,’’ he said, “so you want to make sure you get the right person working on it.’’

Have a consumer question or complaint? Reach Sarah Shemkus at seshemkus@gmail.com.