Flipper/Rehabber · Farmville, VA · Member since 2018 · 280 posts · 171 votes
7y
@Bobbie Dancy working with contractors is a little like dating. There's a lot of fish in the sea and they're not all for you. You dream about working with some and there's a lot of ugly ones that you want to steer clear of! There are a couple of decent ways to get contractors:
-Check your local building supply house (not the big box stores). Ask for references for specific trades. Don't go in asking for a list for every trade but if you're looking for a general contractor etc. just ask. Most places are happy to recommend a guy or two. More often than not, there's a contractor in there that has a buddy that does what you're looking for.
-Show up to Lowes/HD/big box store at 7 am. Snag a few business cards from the guys getting material for the day. The guys that show up early are the guys that get work done. Contractors that shop for the day at 10 am are the contractors that show up to your jobsite at noon to start working.
-You can chance it with Thumbtack, Craigslist, etc but you get what you pay for. I've had far more luck with Thumbtack than CL though. Be prepared to babysit a lot of these guys.
Get a few bids. Take the middle one. Ask for references/pictures/referrals/licenses/insurance.
Flipper/Rehabber · Farmville, VA · Member since 2018 · 280 posts · 171 votes
7y
@Bobbie Dancy working with contractors is a little like dating. There's a lot of fish in the sea and they're not all for you. You dream about working with some and there's a lot of ugly ones that you want to steer clear of! There are a couple of decent ways to get contractors:
-Check your local building supply house (not the big box stores). Ask for references for specific trades. Don't go in asking for a list for every trade but if you're looking for a general contractor etc. just ask. Most places are happy to recommend a guy or two. More often than not, there's a contractor in there that has a buddy that does what you're looking for.
-Show up to Lowes/HD/big box store at 7 am. Snag a few business cards from the guys getting material for the day. The guys that show up early are the guys that get work done. Contractors that shop for the day at 10 am are the contractors that show up to your jobsite at noon to start working.
-You can chance it with Thumbtack, Craigslist, etc but you get what you pay for. I've had far more luck with Thumbtack than CL though. Be prepared to babysit a lot of these guys.
Get a few bids. Take the middle one. Ask for references/pictures/referrals/licenses/insurance.
Hello my name is Bobbie I want to find contractors how do I get bids and referrals in my area; Cleveland, Ohio
Talk to some brokers and real estate investors in the area to get recommendations. You can find them by calling local real estate agencies and going to investment meetups.
If the same names keep popping up, then the contractor is probably solid. Do your due diligence by visiting his current projects or talking to people who've hired him before.
Rental Property Investor · Pataskala, OH · Member since 2019 · 11 posts · 6 votes
7y
@Bobbie Dancy
If you know you are going to need drywall done then call a few painters and see who the like to follow. This works with pretty much any part of the rehab/building process except for the foundation guys.
Contractor · Asheville, NC · Member since 2017 · 51 posts · 29 votes
7y
+1 to what @Ben Sears said. I'll add to that: when you find one, look up their license number. After that (if the license number cleared) check local membership clubs. So where I live we have the AHBA (Asheville home builders association), green built alliance and a few others. If they are members of similar clubs in your area, the likely hood of you being ripped off is slim.