Should I Bring a Contractor?

Question

I have an appointment next week to check out a home. I'm not sure what to look for 100%. The seller says the house needs approximately 50K worth of work. Should I bring a contractor with me to check out the house? I don't know any contractors smh

Bob Okenwa · Answer

Yes you should bring a contractor to walk the property to get a sense of what needs to be updated/replaced/repaired if you do not yet have the eye to figure these numbers yourself. I'd never trust the numbers of a homeowner, unless they were a licensed contractor themselves, and even then, I'd double-check and verify everything myself.

Since you don't know any contractors, I'd reach out to your network (friends, family, coworkers) and ask for references. If that is a no-go, you can ask for references from other investors at REIA meetings and local meetups. Last ditch effort is to use Angie's List or do a Google search and start finding GC's there. You'll probably have to compensate them for their time (something like $100) as you do not own the property nor have it under contract and GC's do not like having their time wasted with individuals who are simply seeking free bids and won't use them or are looking for a free tutorial.

Quinton Childs · Answer

Thanks for the advice Bob, my mission today will be just that. Find a contractor and go from there, I'll keep you posted on this situation.