Twin Cities house hackers: How are you actually finding good contractors?

Question

Hello! Future first-time house hacker here, about to start shopping for multi-family rentals in the Twin Cities. Before I buy, I’m trying to learn from people who’ve already been through this.

For those of you self-managing 1-5 units: how do you currently find contractors you trust (plumbers, electricians, HVAC, handymen, etc.)? Word of mouth, Yelp, Angi/Thumbtack, a local referral service, something else?

Also, what’s been the most frustrating part of that process? Bad quotes, no-shows, work you had to redo, just never knowing who to call when something breaks?

I’m trying to learn as much about this process before I’m in the position of needing this myself. Appreciate any war stories.

Thanks!

Jimmy Lieu · Answer

Glad you found this forum, Tharun! For my rentals, referrals from other investors, property managers, and contractors I already trust have been the most reliable. Once you find one good plumber, electrician, or handyman, ask them who they use for the trades they don’t handle because good contractors usually know other good contractors. The biggest frustration is often reliability more than price. Someone might do great work but be impossible to reach when you actually need them. I’d start building your vendor list before you close and keep at least two contacts for each major trade so you’re not scrambling when something breaks. Also track pricing, response time, and quality after each job because over time you’ll figure out who your real go-to people are.

Twin Cities house hackers: How are you actually finding good contractors?

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