Looking for Contractor Recommendations

Cleveland, Ohio
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Looking for Contractor Recommendations

Franklin Obando
Middletown, NY · Member since 2021 · 5 posts · 6 votes

Good morning All, my name’s Franklin, and I’m a new landlord. I bought a duplex in Lorain, OH; just outside of Cleveland. It came with tenants already, so that was nice. Now i need to do some improvements to the home, but i’m having a hard time getting contractors to call me back. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks, Frank

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Kyle Jones
Chicago, Cook County · Member since 2026 · 38 posts · 15 votes
1w

Frank, the thing I'd worry about is that contractors often skip calls when the job sounds vague, especially from an owner who isn't local. A clear ask gets a lot more callbacks.

- Write a short scope before you call anyone: each room, what you want done, and rough sizes. Even a one-page list makes you look like a real job instead of a tire-kicker.

- Ask your tenants if you can get photos and a short video of each area you want worked on, plus the furnace, water heater, and electrical panel. Send those with your first message so a contractor can tell right away if it's their kind of work.

- Bundle the work. One bigger visit is easier to say yes to than three small trips.

- Look up permits pulled in Lorain and nearby towns. Contractors who pull permits there are active, licensed, and easy to check.

- Ask local property managers and the investors in this forum who they use. Contractors who already work for landlords know how to work around tenants.

- When bids come in, make sure everyone is pricing the same written scope, and look at what each one leaves out.

Kyle

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  • Kyle Jones
    Chicago, Cook County · Member since 2026 · 38 posts · 15 votes
    1w

    Frank, the thing I'd worry about is that contractors often skip calls when the job sounds vague, especially from an owner who isn't local. A clear ask gets a lot more callbacks.

    - Write a short scope before you call anyone: each room, what you want done, and rough sizes. Even a one-page list makes you look like a real job instead of a tire-kicker.

    - Ask your tenants if you can get photos and a short video of each area you want worked on, plus the furnace, water heater, and electrical panel. Send those with your first message so a contractor can tell right away if it's their kind of work.

    - Bundle the work. One bigger visit is easier to say yes to than three small trips.

    - Look up permits pulled in Lorain and nearby towns. Contractors who pull permits there are active, licensed, and easy to check.

    - Ask local property managers and the investors in this forum who they use. Contractors who already work for landlords know how to work around tenants.

    - When bids come in, make sure everyone is pricing the same written scope, and look at what each one leaves out.

    Kyle

    3Reply
    • Franklin Obando
      OP
      Middletown, NY · Member since 2021 · 5 posts · 6 votes
      1w

      Thanks. I appreciate your feedback. Be well.

      1Reply
  • Diana KhanPro Member
    Attorney · 10451 Mill Run Cir #755 Owings Mills, MD 21117 · Member since 2024 · 752 posts · 270 votes
    1w
    Quote from @Franklin Obando:

    Good morning All, my name’s Franklin, and I’m a new landlord. I bought a duplex in Lorain, OH; just outside of Cleveland. It cNe with tenants already, so that was nice. Now i meed to do some improvements to the home, but i’m having a hard time getting contractors ti call me back. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks, Frank

    @Franklin Obando, @Kyle Jones shared some good suggestions. Since you're managing the property from another state, I'd also ask local property managers for contractor referrals, especially ones who have experience working in occupied rentals. That could make coordinating repairs a little easier.

    I'm a real estate attorney, broker, and investor based in Maryland, and I work with landlords on contracts and rental property matters. I've seen how important it is to have the work, payment terms, and timeline clearly written out before hiring someone. I'd also make sure there's a plan for coordinating access with your tenants so everyone knows what to expect.

    Thanks for sharing this, @Franklin Obando! Finding reliable contractors can be frustrating, especially when you're not nearby. Hope you find someone good, and happy to stay connected!

    [email protected]240-266-0291
    2Reply
    • Franklin Obando
      OP
      Middletown, NY · Member since 2021 · 5 posts · 6 votes
      1w

      Thank you Diana.

      0Reply
    • Drew SygitBusiness Member
      Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
      5d

      @Diana Khan why would a PMC refer one of their contractors, that they've probably spent years cultivating a relationship with, to a DIY landlord that won't hire them to manage their property?

      [email protected]248-209-6824
      Logical Property Management4.9462 Reviews
      WebsiteView Page
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    • Diana KhanPro Member
      Attorney · 10451 Mill Run Cir #755 Owings Mills, MD 21117 · Member since 2024 · 752 posts · 270 votes
      5d
      Quote from @Drew Sygit:

      @Diana Khan why would a PMC refer one of their contractors, that they've probably spent years cultivating a relationship with, to a DIY landlord that won't hire them to manage their property?

      @Drew Sygit, that's a fair point, and I understand why a property management company would want to protect the relationships they've built with reliable contractors. I wasn't suggesting that they're obligated to share those contacts. I just meant it could be another option worth exploring, especially for an out of state landlord who's having trouble finding someone local. Some may be willing to help, while others may prefer to keep those relationships within their business.

      [email protected]240-266-0291
      0Reply
  • Ryan BakerBusiness Member
    Lender · Strongsville / Cleveland, OH · Member since 2026 · 139 posts · 35 votes
    1w

    Frank, congrats on the Lorain duplex. Beyond the scope-and-photos advice above, I'd also ask any contractor up front about their schedule for jobs on occupied rentals, since that's often why calls don't get returned. I run a local construction and property management team in Northeast Ohio, plus I do lending, so I'm happy to talk through your improvement list and whether it makes sense to finance any of it. Happy to walk through it on a quick call, my direct line and email are on my profile. (Drafted with AI assistance.)

    [email protected]330-548-3340
    1Reply
  • Remington LymanBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    6d
    Quote from @Franklin Obando:

    Good morning All, my name’s Franklin, and I’m a new landlord. I bought a duplex in Lorain, OH; just outside of Cleveland. It came with tenants already, so that was nice. Now i need to do some improvements to the home, but i’m having a hard time getting contractors to call me back. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks, Frank

    Happy to send you some referrals

    [email protected]614-541-8475Podcast Guest on Show My Job Laid Me Off, So I Replaced My Salary with Rentals
    Reafco512 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • BJ Everson
    Realtor · Columbus, Franklin County · Member since 2026 · 135 posts · 49 votes
    6d

    Good contractors are usually booked out, so how you ask matters as much as who you ask. What tends to get calls returned: 1) Send a one-page scope with photos and a clear list of what you want priced, sorted by must-do (safety, leaks, code) and nice-to-have. A contractor can price that from the couch and decide quickly if it fits. 2) Ask for line-item bids from two or three people, with labor and materials split, so you can compare apples to apples. 3) Offer a fixed day and time for one walkthrough, with the tenant given proper notice (Ohio's landlord-tenant law treats 24 hours as reasonable), instead of 'call me when you can.' 4) Start with a small paid job to test reliability before the big one. 5) Never pay a big deposit; tie payments to completed, photographed work. A local property manager or the contractor forum here can often refer reliable crews too.

    1Reply
  • Muyees Ayilara
    Lender · Boynton Beach, FL · Member since 2026 · 234 posts · 95 votes
    5d

    Franklin, congrats on the duplex in Lorain. That first one with tenants already in place is a great start.

    I am in Florida so I do not have a Lorain guy to give you directly, but I can tell you why contractors are not calling back, because I hear this from every new landlord.

    Most contractors ignore vague jobs. If you call and say I need some improvements, they hear small job, slow pay, lots of questions. You have to make it sound like a real job.

    What works for me is this:

    Write out a one page scope. List every room, what you want done, and take photos. Say, I need flooring in unit A, paint both units, fix back steps, and two bathroom faucets. I have budget approved and I can pay deposit this week. Can you walk it Thursday at 10am or Friday at 2pm?

    Give them two times. Give them a budget range. Tell them you have tenants but you can give access. That gets callbacks.

    Also, do not just call GCs. Call the guys who do the work. For small improvements, a good handyman who is licensed and insured will show up faster than a big GC who is busy on $100k remodels. Ask your property manager, your insurance agent, and the local Home Depot pro desk. They always know who actually shows up.

    And get three quotes in writing, not on the phone. Ask for license, insurance, and two recent jobs in Lorain or Elyria you can drive by. If he cannot give you that, move on.

    One more thing, do not pay more than 30% upfront. 30% to start, 30% at halfway, 40% when done and you walk it. Put that in writing before he starts. That protects you and it also makes the good contractors take you serious.

    If you post your scope list here, what exactly needs to be done, I am sure someone in Cleveland will tag a guy they use.

    0Reply
  • Lee Futcher
    Technology · Vancouver, BC · Member since 2026 · 187 posts · 40 votes
    4d

    Hi Franklin,

    Welcome to BiggerPockets, and congratulations on the duplex. Buying with tenants already in place gives you a nice head start while you figure out the improvements.

    Kyle covered the callback side really well. One thing I'd add for later: when someone does a small job right, pay them quickly and let them know you will. Contractors remember the owners who pay fast, and those are the calls they return first when the bigger projects come up.

    That small habit can save you a lot of chasing down the road.

    Best of luck with the improvements,
    Lee

    1Reply
  • Anthony Smith
    Real Estate Agent · Detroit, MI · Member since 2016 · 148 posts · 63 votes
    4d

    Franklin, I sit on the contractor side of this in Detroit, so here's why the phone isn't ringing — and it's usually not personal. A new out-of-town owner, a tenant-occupied house, and 'I need some improvements done' reads to a contractor as: small scattered jobs, unknown scope, slow decisions, and hard scheduling around tenants. That's the first call they skip.

    What gets callbacks:

    Send a written scope before you ask anyone to come out. Room by room, what you want done, rough sizes, and photos or a short video — including the furnace, water heater, and electrical panel. A contractor can price half of it from his truck.

    Offer one set walkthrough window with proper tenant notice instead of 'sometime next week.' One trip, everything looked at at once.

    Bundle the work into one job instead of five little ones.

    Be ready to decide. Most callbacks die because the owner shops the number for two weeks.

    For a tenant-occupied duplex, a good local handyman or small crew often beats a big GC for this kind of work — just get the license and insurance in writing and pay against completed phases, never most of it upfront.

    0Reply
  • Michael Norris
    Specialist · Strongsville, OH · Member since 2016 · 306 posts · 218 votes
    4d

    The previously posted suggestions are very spot on. I don't have time to type this out as nuanced as I'd like but I'll take a crack at it.

    Should you only hire trades who have Work Comp, GL Insurance, registered with the city and pull all the required permits? Yes!

    The people who do the work "right" also charge accordingly and in my experience many investors don't want to pay what it costs to have all the paperwork in order myself included so we hire the "other guy". aka day labor, side work, whatever you want to call it.

    The "other guys" most landlords end up using because of cost, availability, etc are most likely not going to have the proper insurance, bond, and registration but they will call you back and if the work sounds like they can get in and out and make a few bucks they are down. Ohio has a 21 item test to determine if someone is your "employee" and if you read it - pretty much anyone you hire directly (not a company) would qualify as YOUR employee. It's all fun and games until that guy falls off a ladder - when that happens expect a call from Ohio's work comp asking questions why you don't have coverage.

    Ohio is one of 3 states that has a monopoly on Work Comp meaning you can only buy it from the state not from insurance agents.

    For any contractor - and sorry to the good tradesmen on here... trust but verify literally everything they tell you. I have seen so investors get ripped off by shady contractors. Being local does not prevent that but it helps - if you have someone local than can stop by a project that is a huge check and balance.

    Was the work complete to the scope you asked for? If you don't see detailed photos the work was not completed.

    Do they have insurance, bond, registration with the city? If you don't see a cert showing proof of insurance, call their agent to verify and look for the rest on the cities website it's probably not real.

    If the property is occupied did you back ground check the person to make sure they are not a pedo or creep? Probably a good idea.

    As the property owner you are on the hook for everything.

    DO NOT stop what you are doing but definitely listen to the advice people on here are giving you.

    1Reply
  • Nadia Khan
    Virtual Assistant · USA · Member since 2026 · 14 posts · 1 vote
    3d

    Congrats on the duplex purchase in Lorain! Finding reliable contractors locally can definitely be tough. Sending you a quick DM with a couple of active contractor networks in the Cleveland/Lorain area.

    1Reply
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