Given the state of the economy and the continued slowing of the building industry and real estate in general one would think that quality contractors and handymen would be readily available. The simple truth is that plenty of them are readily available but finding a professional that does quality work seems to be more difficult than one might expect.
The contractors and handymen I've been calling lately for quotes and jobs have been far from impressive. I can't imagine that people essentially begging for business can lack accountability. Weeks are going by with no price quotes, no shows, and so on. Most of these people have pretty decent reputations too.
I've been doing a lot of small improvements to my rental properties, and my Dad is working on some fairly large renovations to his home (80's dated, but not paneling). I'm just shocked at the level of communication and time frames that have been consistently missed. We've fired a few, but there is a silver lining. In the process of trial and error we have found a few contractors that are quick to respond, reasonably priced, and they show up.
If you're looking for a handyman, a roofer, plumber, electrician, or need something else done around the house make a call to your Realtor. They deal with these people frequently and have typically sorted through the bad and found the accountable, high quality professionals that do exist.
Another tip while we are the topic of contractors. Always get more than one price quote, but don't necessarily always go with the cheapest quote. Discuss the prices and find out the reasons for the variances. Oftentimes the age old adage that "you get what you pay for will ring true."
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