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Whether you are a single unit operation or manage a large
apartment complex, choosing your maintenance contractor is very
important decision. The demand for good maintenance professionals
continues to increase while the availability decreases.
Whether you are refurbishing a rental unit for a new tenant or
doing repairs to a leased unit, you may be faced with having to
hire someone other than your regular handyman. The service pro is
described as someone proficient in a variety of abilities in repair
and maintenance. They must have the experience and inventiveness to
assess problems and solutions to small jobs in the rental unit.
This includes fixing any sort of mechanical, electrical or
structural problem as well as performing routine measures to
prevent potential problems from arising.
Hiring the right maintenance contactor, also known as a
handyman, should be a process that involves much care and attention
to detail. A haphazard hiring process can cause more problems and
cost more money than the original need required. Property managers
should treat the hire like any major purchase or job because the
ramifications are the same. The following are seven tips that will
guide you to making to making a good decision.
Landlord Staffing:
Determine your needs. Before scheduling an
appointment, it is wise to detail exactly what your needs are. Take
an inventory of your property by physically inspecting every square
foot of the unit and testing all mechanical and electrical
devices. It is important to develop a checklist in
order to save time and give attention to detail. Keep this
checklist on file for your future use. This list is a very valuable
asset to the property manager. Having this list will also
demonstrate to the contractor that you are knowledgeable and
organized. It may influence the price of the job.
Qualify the Job- After determining your needs,
it is important to assess if the job requires a special licensing.
Such jobs include plumbing, electrical and structural repairs. Most
cities will not issue permits without proper licensing. Bringing in
a contractor without properly qualifying will waste everybody’s
time and money. You may have to pay a trip charge by bringing in a
contractor without the proper licensing. It is not always
less expensive to hire a handyman than a professional to do a
job. A professional can diagnose and fix a problem
faster.
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"Hiring the Right Maintenance
Contractor" |
Landlord
Staffing:
Qualify the Contactor-It is very important to
determine if a particular contractor is in good standing with the
business community. Always check with the Better Business Bureau
and the local chamber of commerce to see if the contractor is in
good standing by consistently following good business practices. In
addition to checking with business organizations, never forget to
ask for a least three references. Once you have the references,
never forget to follow up. Always ask the references about their
satisfaction with the contractor as well as the appearance and
professionalism. Remember, these contractors may have contact with
your customers and this contact could be a factor which could weigh
heavily when its renewal time.
Be present at walkthrough-Always walk the
property with the contractor. Do not expect the contractor to know
how to fulfill your needs without your presence. Never forget to
bring your checklist so that you don’t omit all the details of the
job. Nothing cuts more into the bottom line than having to bring in
a contractor for a quote multiple times because of incomplete job
details. This will also assist the contractor in giving you an
accurate price because he will have the opportunity to ask you
questions and voice concerns. The dialog alone will enlighten you
to many aspects of the job that you may not have considered.
You will also have the opportunity to detail your expectations and
vision for the job.
Get multiple bids- It is always good to
get different contractor to bid on the job. Not only is it good to
compare prices but opinions as well. Different people may have
different solutions on how to fix a particular problem. It is a
great benefit to give yourself as many options and perspectives as
possible.
Determine the price- The price quoted to
you may have different inclusions such as trip charges and fees.
Many contractors offer the option of purchasing supplies yourself.
You may find it a benefit to go the hardware store and not pay for
the contractor’s drive time.
Assessing the completed job- Once the job has been
completed, make sure that you walk through the property to confirm
that all your needs have been met. Bring your checklist and
contract to compare the actual work with your expectations. If you
are satisfied with your service and price, keep the contractor for
future service. The more a contractor is familiar with your
operation, the easier it is for him to diagnose and repair future
problems. This will translate into great savings and added
confidence in handling maintenance
issues. | 
tenant screening