How to Find a Handyman or Contractor

Finding a good contractor is one of the most difficult (and tedious) tasks a real estate investor has to undertake. Honest, hardworking, and talented contractors exist, but almost always charge accordingly, making it difficult to find a bargain. However, asking the right questions, both of yourself and of them, can take a lot of the pain out of the contractor search:

Question 1: How Big is the Job?

Bigger jobs require better contractors, plain and simple. If you're renovating a shell, or building a brand new house, you'll need to pull permits, which means you'll need a licensed contractor. Because their licenses are at risk, and because contractors have to jump through some hoops to obtain them, licensed contractors charge a premium for their licenses.

That said, landlords who have a leaky pipe underneath the kitchen sink don't need an expensive, licensed contractor to fix it, as an everyday handyman will suffice. So, real estate investors and landlords would be wise to maintain relationships with at least two (but preferably a lot more) contractors: a licensed, skilled general contractor with multiple crews, and a capable but inexpensive handyman.

Question 2: Does the Job Require a Permit?

As mentioned above, you'll need a licensed contractor to do any kind of permit job. It's probably worth it to have the contractor pull the necessary permits, as they'll know the system well and can do it properly, but a word of caution: always, always, ALWAYS ask for copies of the permits, and keep them on record. There are two reasons why this is recommended: first of all many contractors will say they'll pull the permits and then "forget," and second because bureaucracies consistently mismanage their records and you may need to prove that you did in fact have a permit.

Question 3: Where are the Contractor's Prior Projects Located?

Some contractors specialize in high-end renovations (these are the expensive contractors, of course), while others never leave the 'hood. Neither is inherently better, since you get what you pay for, and it doesn't make sense to use a high-end contractor on a low-end property. That all being said, you'll want to know what kind of contractor they are, so ask for a list of recent projects they've worked on, and then walk through them in person to get a sense for what kind of work that contractor does. If possible, talk to the owners of these properties as well, to see how satisfied they are with the work.

Question 4: How Long Have They Been a Contractor?

Career contractors, who are committed to their work and take pride in it, are far superior to contractors who simply fell into the trade for lack of a better option. Ask the contractor how they "got into contracting," in order to find out how long they've been in the business (you're more likely to get a straight answer with a sideways question). Also, their answer will give you a sense of whether or not they actively chose a career on contracting, which can be a great indicator of how talented and conscientious they are.

Question 5: What Kind of Warranty Do They Offer?

This is a question that far too many real estate investors and landlords ask too late, after a problem arises. Ask this question up front, before they touch your property, because once the problem rears its ugly head it's already too late. Bear in mind that truly professional contractors OR handymen will guarantee their work, to some extent, while shoddy workers and dabblers will be reluctant to offer any kind of guarantee.

A word to the wise regarding warranties, however: many contractors will be suddenly hard to reach after they've been paid, regardless of their warrantee, so buyer beware. Still, get a warrantie and get it in writing, because if nothing else it may make the contractor or handyman more likely to follow through with repairing any mistakes or defects.

Finding a good contractor is a long, painful, tedious process, but by asking a lot of questions up front and doing your homework by inspecting their work and talking to their previous clients, you can weed out a lot of bad contractors quickly. Put in the work up front, and it will save you a lot of headaches down the road.