Whether you are a landlord or flip houses, being a real estate investor is a tasking thing. One of the ways to make your work simpler is probably by having the right contractors. However, this alone isn’t easy to achieve. There are just so many problems one could face with a contractor or home builder. Some won’t respond to your calls on time, some will come late to appointments, and some won’t even do what you expect them to do. Finding the ones without all these bad attributes is a blessing, and since you will always need home builders and contractors, it becomes necessary to work towards your blessing. Here, we explain in detail how you can meet the right home builders and create your network of reliable contractors.
Build Your Home Builders List:
This is as simple as getting the names and numbers of home builders and contractors within your locality. Although you are only looking for the best, the more contacts you have, the higher your chances. You can find home builders and contractors for a different aspect of a construction project. One of the easiest and most reliable ways of doing this is by asking for referrals from neighbors, colleagues, friends, families, etc. By doing this, you will gather a list of potential contractors that could end up on your network. You could also ask a contractor to recommend another for a different aspect of a project to you. For instance, asking a carpenter to recommend an electrician or plumber.
Pre-Screen The Potential Contractors:
You are looking for reliable home builders and contractors, and there is no better way to achieve that than by screening the potentials. The screening could be over the phone or in person. It is an opportunity to know the contractor and assess them. Thus, it is essential to ask questions about their works and their personality. A physical screening would always be a better option but since there are many people on your list, screening them with a phone call or email is a good idea.
Run Background Checks Online:
You don’t need to hire a PI to know certain things about a home builder. Not in this era of the internet and social media where everything is out there. You should check out the contractors online to see if the information they give you is true. This background check can save you from costly mistakes.
Ask for References:
If you are satisfied with the background checks, the next thing you should do is to ask the home builder for references from their previous projects. The more detailed the references, the better, and you should just get the references for getting sake, call them to ask questions, and verify information about the contractor.
Verify Basic Details:
Basic details about a contractor or home builder usually includes license, insurance, and bond. You should verify that the home builder has all these. A simple way of doing this is by asking them to bring proof.
Test Them with A Small Task:
Ensure that the first renovation project you hire them for is small and observe how they perform that task. If the work and performance meet your standards, you can consider them a reliable part of your network.
Conclusion:
It is also important for you to manage the home builder well and ensure that the renovations align with your wishes.
