{"id":71111,"date":"2021-05-11T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/renewsblog\/?p=71111"},"modified":"2023-03-29T03:39:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T09:39:14","slug":"finding-contractor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/finding-contractor","title":{"rendered":"Struggling to Find a Stellar Contractor? Try These 9 Pro Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n      <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm?e=BIGPOC7336394896&#038;light=false\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe>  \n\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine this: A few weeks ago you call six different contractors to take a look at a small repair job on your home. Every single one went to voicemail. Okay, understandable. You figure they\u2019re busy working and leave a message. In total, four of them call back, and you schedule an appointment with each of them to get an estimate. Of the four appointments, two of them never showed up. Wondering how to find a contractor (who doesn&#8217;t suck)? You&#8217;re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of the two remaining, one contractor said he didn\u2019t know how to do the job. The other said he would call back with an estimate in 24 hours. Another local contractor only handles whole home renovations. A week went by\u2014and now his phone is disconnected. Now you\u2019re stuck without the help you need and the repair still needs to get done. For anyone who\u2019s ever tried to hire a contractor or handyman for their home or business, this scenario probably sounds all too familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is it so tough to find good contractors?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To begin, contractors are not generally not good business owners. Just because someone can bake doesn\u2019t mean they can run a bakery. The same thing can be said about contractors. Just because someone can swing a hammer doesn\u2019t mean they can answer phone calls or show up on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly, contractors don\u2019t always have to be good. A lot of times they just have to be quick or cheap to meet certain needs. Real estate investors and homeowners are always looking for a good deal nowadays. This means they don\u2019t typically call the best people for the job because they know they\u2019ll be too expensive, too big for small maintenance jobs, and will be booked out three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But none of this means you have to settle for a contractor that doesn\u2019t fit your needs. Given some time and research, you can figure out how to find a contractor that can get the job done properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite what you just read, there are great contractors out there. But finding them and the ones that are best for you can take a little time. Here are the best tips to help find good contractors and narrow down the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Be proactive, not reactive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever heard the old phrase, \u201cThe best time to look for a job is when you don\u2019t need one\u201d? The same principle applies to contractors. If you\u2019re only looking for one when you need one, you\u2019re setting yourself up for problems from the start. Instead, be proactive. Have a continually evolving list of people you could call for various problems and continue to add people to the list even when you don\u2019t need someone at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Understand price vs. cost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These two terms may sound the same, but there\u2019s a key difference when it comes to hiring anyone or making investments in your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPrice\u201d is the monetary amount paid when you purchase something, but \u201ccost\u201d is the long-term monetary amount paid over the life of a product or service. For example, the price of dishwasher A might be $400, and the price of dishwasher B might be $500. The first option has a lower price, but if it requires an extra $20 per month in energy bills that the second option doesn\u2019t have, it\u2019s not really saving you anything in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You see, buying for <em>cost<\/em> rather than <em>price<\/em> is a subtle difference, but it can have a tremendous effect on your business. This principle also applies to hiring a contractor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Ask for referrals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the best ways to find good contractors is by asking others who they have used for similar work. It\u2019s a simple yet effective method that can help you out as well. But get referrals from a number of different people you trust. When people know a contractor has done great work in the past, it\u2019s likely they\u2019ll do so in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Google them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>References are great, but doing your own research is also key to picking a contractor. It\u2019s like a referral&#8230; but from tons of people on the internet. Here, you can also check if they have been a part of any shady activity or if there are any active disputes. Check out their profile on the Better Business Bureau and see if they&#8217;re in good standing. If they\u2019re private that could be a bad sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Putting their name, their company\u2019s name, your city, and terms like &#8220;scam,&#8221; &#8220;rip off,&#8221; &#8220;complaints,&#8221; or &#8220;court&#8221; into a search can often unearth any red flags about the person. For example, if you wanted to find out more about First Rate Construction Company in Metropolis, you would search things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First Rate Construction Metropolis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>First Rate Construction scam<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>First Rate Construction sue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Check references<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Always check references. Despite what you might think, even references supplied by the contractor will generally be honest. Also make sure to ask for examples of the kind of work you plan on getting done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a good idea to ask for multiple referrals and from the most recent jobs they\u2019ve completed. Call the reference and ask if the contractor showed up on time, if they completed the work, if they tried to change the dollar amount mid-work or after it was done, and if they would use them again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even ask professionals you like who have previously worked on your home. For the most part, good subcontractors tend to work with other good subcontractors. Ask your electrician if they know any good plumbers. Ask the plumbers if they know any good carpenters and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also look at review sites like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.angi.com\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Angie&#8217;s List<\/a> (now Angi) or Yelp for reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Ask questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>References and recommendations are great, but they aren\u2019t specified to you. Asking the right questions that are tailored to your needs is a great way to find the right contractor for you. This pre-screening process will help you weed out ones you don\u2019t like early on. Here are some examples you can use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How long have you been in this line of work?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What skill would you say you are the best at? Do you like bigger remodeling jobs or small repairs more?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What job tasks do you hate doing?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In what cities do you typically work?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How many employees work for you? (Or work in your company if you are not talking to the boss.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How busy are you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you pull permits, or would I need to?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If I were to hire you, when could you start knocking out tasks?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What payment schedule do you prefer? When will you want the final payment?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, set up a time to meet and show them the project if you have one. Set an appointment so you can see if they are on time, look professional, and see how they act in general. Do they seem knowledge and capable for the job? If everything feels okay after this first meeting, you&#8217;ll be able to make an informed decision whether to hire them or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. The 6 a.m. Home Depot trick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to Home Depot at 6 a.m. and meet the contractors that are there. These are the contractors who get up early and get their supplies <em>before <\/em>heading over to the job site. This is a strong indication that they know what they are doing and are not going to take advantage of you. Although this is no silver bullet, it can give you an idea of contractors who take their work seriously and get started early in the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will also be a good time for you to ask the store\u2019s employees who they would recommend. They have a unique insight into the quality of materials that the contractors use, as well as the experience level and management style of those who buy from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Have contractors compete<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes the best answer is not finding one contractor<em>, <\/em>but several who can compete for your business. Having them compete will help breed competitiveness that will drive price and quality. If you let them know you have other pros on hand, they will be sure to give you their best prices, quality, and attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some investors or homeowners call three to five contractors to do a bid and tell them all the same time, both to minimize the hassle of meeting multiple contractors and encouraging lean bids. Keep their names and contact information on file in a place you\u2019ll remember so you always have it when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Verify potential contractors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Verify that they truly do have a license to do whatever work you intend for them to do. If they are an electrician, make sure they have an electrical license. If they are a plumber, make sure they have a plumbing license. If they are a general contractor, make sure they have a general contractor\u2019s license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, make sure they do actually have the proper insurance and bond. Simply ask the name of their insurance agent and verify it with that agent. Good contractors should be able to provide you with proof for all of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why you\u2019ll never find a good contractor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re still struggling with how to find a contractor, that&#8217;s understandable. Finding the right one for you can be an arduous process. But sometimes, it\u2019s important to reflect on yourself, what you\u2019re looking for in subcontractors, and if you\u2019re going through the process in the best way for yourself. Here are four reasons you\u2019re making everything that much more difficult on yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Your expectations are too high<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re expecting your contractors to be perfect at everything, to tick every box you\u2019re looking for and that\u2019s just not possible. But that\u2019s also why it\u2019s important to have more than one on your list so that you always have someone for all of your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. You always take the lowest bid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The conventional wisdom is to get a minimum of three bids then take the lowest one. Some people say the more bids the better. The problem is that contracting is a service, so you get what you pay for. Sometimes saving money means losing quality. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to know the difference between price and cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. You don&#8217;t understand overhead quotes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The majority of good contractors will never give itemized quotes\u2014especially because the vast majority of people don\u2019t understand business basics, such as overhead expenses. Also, there is a massive falsehood that says a \u201cfair\u201d contractor markup is 15%\u201320%. That\u2019s not true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every contractor inevitably underbids one part of a project and overbids on another. There are just too many unknowns and variables to account for when bidding. This results in the entire project getting underbid, and the contractor is guaranteed to lose money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Your goals don\u2019t align<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most contractors want to provide quality work that they can be proud of, along with fair wages to support themselves, their family, and their employees. Quality and good wages are both subjective, so it\u2019s easy for your interests to not align. But this is why it\u2019s so important to go through the process of finding the right contractors for your needs so that everyone is on the same page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n  <div id=\"posts_lists-block_60888e2ccbfe4\" class=\"  my-10\">\n    <div class=\"\">\n      <!-- Column One -->\n      <div>\n                  <h2 class=\"mt-0 mb-1 js-toc-ignore\">\n            More on contractors          <\/h2>  \n                  \n        \n        \n        <div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-y-4 lg:gap-y-7 mt-5\">\n          \n<article \n\tid=\"post-91850\" \n\tclass=\"content-card mb-0 flex flex-col  post-91850 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-real-estate-investing-for-beginners\">\n\n\t<header class=\"entry-header\">\t\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Image -->\n        \t\t\t<a class=\"post-thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contractor-woes\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"338\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/stressed.jpg\" class=\"size-card w-full  m-0 aspect-[68\/45] object-scale-down wp-post-image\" alt=\"The First Time I Was (Knowingly) Ripped Off By a Contractor\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/stressed.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/stressed-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/stressed-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t        \n\n\t\t<!-- Content Wrapper -->\n\t\t<div class=\"py-4 \">\t\n                            <div class=\"flex gap-4 justify-between items-center\">\n                    <!-- Category  -->\n                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/category\/real-estate-investing-for-beginners\" class=\"transition-colors bg-themeBlue\/20 text-themeBlue-medium hover:bg-themeBlue hover:text-white px-2 py-1 mb-2 inline-block rounded-sm no-underline text-sm\" target=\"_blank\">Investing For Beginners<\/a>\n                    \n                                            <span class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 hidden lg:inline-block\">3 min read<\/span>\n                                    <\/div>\n            \n           <div class=\"flex gap-3 items-center my-2 flex-nowrap text-base\">\n                <!-- Avatar and Author Name -->\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bp-wp-migration.s3.amazonaws.com\/author_avatars\/87013.jpg\" class=\"w-8 h-8 object-cover my-0 inline-block rounded-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><span class='leading-snug text-slate-500 flex items-center'><span class='hidden whitespace-nowrap sm:inline-block md:hidden lg:inline-block pr-1'><span class='posted-on'><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2020-09-20T15:00:02-06:00\">Sep 20, 2020<\/time><time class=\"updated\" datetime=\"2021-03-16T13:39:20-06:00\">Mar 16, 2021<\/time><\/span><\/span>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contributors\/sarahp-2\" class=\"no-underline line-clamp-1\" target=\"_blank\">Chris P.<\/a><\/span>            <\/div>\n\n            <!-- Post title -->\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"entry-title js-toc-ignore mt-4 mb-0 text-xl leading-snug text-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/contractor-woes\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"whitespace-normal no-underline font-bold  text-slate visited:text-slate hover:text-themeBlue\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\tThe First Time I Was (Knowingly) Ripped Off By a Contractor\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n                        <p class=\"text-lg font-normal mt-3 text-slate-500 mb-1 line-clamp-3\">I got ripped off by a contractor I&#8217;d used before, proving that one positive interaction doesn&#8217;t always indicate a bright future.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n     <footer class=\"flex justify-between mt-auto\">\n        <!-- Comment Count -->\n        \t\t<span class='flex items-center space-x-2 text-sm' x-cloak x-data='commentCount()' :class=\"parseFloat(commentCount) < 1 || commentCount == '' ? 'hidden' : 'flex'\">\n\t\t\n            <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-5 w-5 text-slate text-opacity-50\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\">\n                <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M17 8h2a2 2 0 012 2v6a2 2 0 01-2 2h-2v4l-4-4H9a1.994 1.994 0 01-1.414-.586m0 0L11 14h4a2 2 0 002-2V6a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v6a2 2 0 002 2h2v4l.586-.586z\" \/>\n            <\/svg>\n\n            <span x-ref=\"comment_count\" class=\"disqus-comment-count text-slate text-opacity-80\" data-disqus-identifier=\"91850\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n        <\/span>\n\t    <\/footer>\n<\/article><!-- #post-91850 -->        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don&#8217;t have to settle for a contractor that doesn\u2019t fit your needs. Given some time and research, you can easily find a contractor that can get the job done properly\u2014and under budget.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":710,"featured_media":137969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7119,5525],"tags":[2825,727,4269,7228],"class_list":["post-71111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biggerpockets-daily","category-flipping-houses","tag-contractors","tag-flipping","tag-flipping-houses","tag-real-estate-comm"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/710"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71111\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}