I have the funniest phone calls with a friend of mine- she definitely does crazy things and nothing much bothers her. We were talking this morning about a home inspection I have coming up and she says, "OMG if you need a plumber - my plumber is hot - hire him!" Scratching my head, I asked, "I know he's hot - but he can't get your hot water fixed!"
As much as I appreciate her outlook on things- when it comes to home inspections, repairs or other work on major or really important things - I need a little more than "he's hot" as a reason to hire someone.
Generally, it's not a good idea to hire someone who is out of their skill range, unlicensed or doesn't have references. Repairs that involve electric, plumbing, roof work, heating and cooling, etc., all should be handled by a professional who is licensed. Wether you just purchased a home, have investment properties or are getting ready to place your home on the market, repairs needed - need to be done right. And if they aren't done right - you need assurances it will be if something goes wrong.
Quick reminders about hiring individuals to do repairs on your home:
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Ask your real estate agent for names - and then call those individuals. Ask about their experience, their license information, if they have any complaints against their license and for references.
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Ask your friends (except for mine! Ha ha!) and co-workers about their experiences with contractors who make repairs.
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Ask a home inspector for references!
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When you have narrowed your choices down to a couple, get estimates on the repair work.
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Make sure to ask about how the contractor warranties his work, the materials and what additional costs you will incur if they have to come back to do another service call.
Having repairs done right the first time, with qualified individuals will only save you time and money down the road!
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