What Should a Landlord Consider before Hiring a Local Contractor?

If you are handy and competent then you can save yourself some money and fix whatever the problem might be in your rental. But what do you do when the problem is out of your scope and expertise?

Hiring a Local Contractor will more than likely be your next step. However, most Landlords make bad decisions when they to hire Local Contractors. The majority of the time it is because the landlords is being frugal and trying to save money.

Ten Important Questions to Ask When Checking References

Try to avoid the nightmare of hiring a bad contractor and hiring them for the wrong reasons. Ask specific questions and ask for references.

1. Did the contractor stay in touch during the project?
2. Did everyone on the crew show up on time?
3. Did you feel comfortable with the Subcontractors?
4. Did the contractor communicate well with regards to the details?
5. Were the project details finished on timely?
6. Did the contractor stick to their contract?
7. Were you happy with the quality of work performed?
8. Was the entire job completed on time?
9. Was the project experience positive, negative or neutral?
10. Would you hire this contractor again?

Screen the Local Contractors Just Like You Would Screen Tenants

Remember that you need to treat your rentals like a business. This includes everyone involved in all aspects.

Just as with tenants you can never screen too much. Check your local courts for judgments that have been filed against the Contractor.

If you take the extra time to properly screen contractors then you will be saving yourself big headaches down the road. You do not want to find out after the fact, that the Contractor had left jobs unfinished or that they did not pay their Subcontractors.