Jumping the line in a contractor’s cue

[Alex Kolbo]

• How do you get a contractor to commit to doing a rehab job for you fast right after purchasing a property before you even have the property bought? (Like if all the contractors are scheduling 3 months out but then you are wanting to buy a property in the next month and then have it rehabbed the month after…?) if you have only used the contractor once do you pay them a small portion of your estimated rehab costs up front to hold a spot for your job before you even know what the job is?

[Aaron Poling]

Think of this from the contractors point of view. You want the contractor to put you on their schedule for a property that you have not closed on, and could get delayed or fall through. If this is a good contractor, they probably have plenty of work to choose from, so this is asking them to take on a lot of risk. They have to pay their employees, pay their bills, and feed their families. If you want them to do this, the answer is easy just shift the risk from them to you. Guarentee the contractor full payment for the weekly work, even if you don't close. In this way, you are taking on the risk if your project gets delayed or falls through. You may think this sounds crazy but if the contractor takes on the risk this is exactly what you are asking them to do, except in lost wages and payments that they need to pay without the income coming in. 

Good Luck! Aaron