It's so hard to find a reliable contractor...

[ChadTower]

Somehow, I always end up with this guy.

[pointdablame]

so just break out your good lingerie chad....

[ChadTower]

He said sexy, not creepy and hairy.

[shardian]

So is he asking you supply the goods, or just let him enjoy his 420 break? I say pretty good deal if it is the latter.

[ChadTower]

I suspect he's looking for the sexy client AND the goods for his breaktime.

[leapinlew]

Somehow, I always end up with this guy.

NO F'N DOUBT!

This is why I've done so much work myself. I refurbed a house I bought 2 years ago. For the siding, I called about 12 contractors. Here is the breakdown

5 called me back
2 actually showed up
1 gave me a quote

Similar results for the roof, landscaping, and hardwood floors.

Because of how contractors are around here, I learned how to do plumbing, roofing, and just about everything else. I guess you could say, because of contractors I was forced to buy all the tools I needed to build an arcade cabinet. Anyhow, I feel your pain! The worst ones were the guys who wanted to charge you just to show up to give you an estimate.

[ChadTower]

All I want is an insulated door/frame installed in the foundation opening in my basement.  Everyone I've called is acting like I'm trying to schedule chemotherapy.  It's a 1 day job!

[Thenasty]

"It's so hard to find a reliable contractor..."

You mean it exist ? 

[leapinlew]

"It's so hard to find a reliable contractor..."

You mean it exist ? 

ha! 

We might have just as good luck trying to find a reliable contractor riding a unicorn during a solar eclipse.

[GadgetGeek]

Too bad you don't live in the southern US.  Then you could find them all over the place...for cheap.

OK, as a serious thought, you could try calling the appropriate union hall to see if there are any guys between jobs.

Or, do you have a local craigs list?  Can you do a "help wanted" type listing?

Just some thoughts.  I've not actually used any of these methods.

[Donkey_Kong]

I used to be a roofer. Roofing sucks! 

Nothing but horror stories about roofers too. They have a bad, bad rap. I'd like to think that Melissa and I were somewhat of an exception to that rule though. I hated it so much that I actually tried to GIVE my roofing business away. Well it worked for awhile, but I just got a letter in the mail yesterday saying they are giving it BACK!!

 

[spacies]

Its the same here in New Zealand.

Unless you have a friend that can help you out, you are basically stuffed.

I have been doing renovations for a couple of years now and have gained the skills to pretty much do it all myself.

I guess working from home helps a lot too.

All tradesman have a bad rap.
I am a qualified painter but haven't done any painting apart from my own for a few years now and I never plan on doing it again! Its one of those trades where you can never satisfy anyone.

At least with building arcade machines I can put a smile on someones face when I deliver their new machine.

Gotta love that!

[ChadTower]

Or, do you have a local craigs list?  Can you do a "help wanted" type listing?

Dude, that link I posted WAS from craigslist.

I don't think contractors have a bad rap.  I think they have earned their rep.  My experiences with them, other than HVAC guys, is that they are unreliable and untrustworthy.

[Donkey_Kong]

Or, do you have a local craigs list?  Can you do a "help wanted" type listing?

Dude, that link I posted WAS from craigslist.

I don't think contractors have a bad rap.  I think they have earned their rep.  My experiences with them, other than HVAC guys, is that they are unreliable and untrustworthy.

However there are a TON of great guys in construction industry all phases. Problem is finding them. The other problem is even the GREAT ones will find it impossible to please everyone, every time!

[ChadTower]

I'd settle for finding one that would be mostly satisfactory most of the time.

[Donkey_Kong]

I'd settle for finding one that would be mostly satisfactory most of the time.

Need a new roof?  Ahh never mind I probably wouldn't meet your qualifications. 

I have a how to roofing video though on DVD. It is pretty decent.

[ChadTower]

I probably will need a new roof in the next few years.  We bought our house 6 years ago with two layers already on it.

My criteria for contractors are pretty lax.  Basic stuff, like showing up, doing the work such that it doesn't need correction, not creating a giant mess, not stealing from me, and either honoring their estimate or giving a justifiable reason for increasing the price  ("my assistant didn't show so I have to hire someone else" doesn't count as justifiable).

In my experience, finding someone that can handle even half of those is next to impossible.

[Donkey_Kong]

  ("my assistant didn't show so I have to hire someone else" doesn't count as justifiable).

Ahhh...but that is our number one excuse for like everything that goes wrong. Dang it, there on to us.

[Tailgunner]

It's a 1 day job!

There's your problem. Unless you can find somebody who's willing to take it on the side, it's not worth bothering with for them. 

[ChadTower]

This is Massachusetts in the coldest part of winter.  Contractors everywhere are begging for side jobs as there are no outdoor jobs when it is 5 degrees outside.

Or at least they say that.  It appears that the majority of them would rather sit at home and collect unemployment.

[leapinlew]

It's a 1 day job!

There's your problem. Unless you can find somebody who's willing to take it on the side, it's not worth bothering with for them. 

Spoken like someone who hasn't needed a contractor in a few years!

My guess is that it's the housing boom. They are able to pick and choose their jobs since jobs seem plentiful right now.

[ChadTower]

There is no more housing boom here, plus outdoor construction doesn't happen during the heavy winter.

[Tailgunner]

Spoken like someone who hasn't needed a contractor in a few years!

Needed one? Heh, I was one for more than a few years.

[RayB]

What's a 420?

[ChadTower]

I used to know, but then I took my break, and now I can't remember.

 

Sorry, what?

Dude, my hands are huge!

[leapinlew]

Dude, my hands are huge!

[billf]

What's a 420?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_%28cannabis_culture%29

[ChadTower]

I think the dog stole another spork.  Someone go back to KFC and get more.

WHO BOGARTED THE MASHED POTATOES?!

[DrewKaree]

Chad_Kong lives!

[ChadTower]

Hey now, that's not nice.

[shmokes]

"It's so hard to find a reliable contractor..."

You mean it exist ? 

ha! 

We might have just as good luck trying to find a reliable contractor riding a unicorn during a solar eclipse.

LMAO . . . wouldn't it be amazing if there was really such a thing as solar eclipses?   

[boykster]

LMAO . . . wouldn't it be amazing if there was really such a thing as solar eclipses?   

Look at the big brain on shmokes....would you rather it read occultation?  or eclipse of the earth?

 

Kind of like how everyone refers to centripetal force, but that's really a misnomer as well....

[ChadTower]

Kind of like how everyone refers to centripetal force, but that's really a misnomer as well....

How?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force

[boykster]

Kind of like how everyone refers to centripetal force, but that's really a misnomer as well....

How?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force

Sorry, meant CENTRIFUGAL force, not centripetal.  my bad 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_force

[ChadTower]

Sonofabitch... took half a day off work yesterday to get two estimates for replacing my furnace.  Appts with two different guys... neither one bothers to show up.  I wait for nearly 4 hours and burn half a day for no reason.

WTF is it with contractors around here.  Recession my ass, no one around here seems to be hurting for money in any way.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

I'm currently looking into getting estimates for a complete rewiring of our house. All of our Knob n' Tube wiring needs to go. I want to do the job myself, but me and the wife both agree that the liability isn't worth it.

After that....
I have to replace all our windows.
Then I have to redo all the wood floors.
Then I have to repaint the walls.
Then I have to redo the siding.
Then I have to redo the garage roof.
Then I have to redo the house roof.

Then I have to escape from the mental institution that I'll be placed in after all this work.

[shardian]

I'm currently looking into getting estimates for a complete rewiring of our house. All of our Knob n' Tube wiring needs to go. I want to do the job myself, but me and the wife both agree that the liability isn't worth it.

After that....
I have to replace all our windows.
Then I have to redo all the wood floors.
Then I have to repaint the walls.
Then I have to redo the siding.
Then I have to redo the garage roof.
Then I have to redo the house roof.

Then I have to escape from the mental institution that I'll be placed in after all this work.

Ummmm....how much did you pay for your house again?

[ChadTower]

All of our Knob n' Tube wiring needs to go.

Man!  Think of all the hard drive space you'll recover when you get rid of all the Knobs n' Tubes.

[Ed_McCarron]

All of our Knob n' Tube wiring needs to go.

Man!  Think of all the hard drive space you'll recover when you get rid of all the Knobs n' Tubes.

Took a minute...

 

[ahofle]

In my experience, a good way to find a reliable contractor is to know a very experienced real estate agent.  They usually have a favorite contractor or two for just about everything (after already weeding out tons of them for you) since their clients need them so frequently.

[shardian]

In my experience, a good way to find a reliable contractor is to know a very experienced real estate agent.  They usually have a favorite contractor or two for just about everything (after already weeding out tons of them for you) since their clients need them so frequently.

I'll be a naysayer on this advice. Real Estate Agents know contractors who work quick and dirty to get the job done to get the house sold. That does not mean they know 'good' contractors.

Case in point, when I bought my house, an inspection showed that half of the roof was way overdue for new shingles. I wanted to get it done myself and get a credit. My agent advised me against this, because there could be underlying issues. Anyways, the seller fixed the roof via their agents recommendation. Needless to say, the work was ---smurfy--- and I had ridge shingles falling off my roof in no time. The offending realtor is also a neighbor of mine. Needless to say, by the time the situation was sorted out and fixed we had words and are no longer on speaking terms.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

All of our Knob n' Tube wiring needs to go.

Man!  Think of all the hard drive space you'll recover when you get rid of all the Knobs n' Tubes.

Took a minute...

 

Same here.   

[mr.Curmudgeon]

I'm currently looking into getting estimates for a complete rewiring of our house. All of our Knob n' Tube wiring needs to go. I want to do the job myself, but me and the wife both agree that the liability isn't worth it.

After that....
I have to replace all our windows.
Then I have to redo all the wood floors.
Then I have to repaint the walls.
Then I have to redo the siding.
Then I have to redo the garage roof.
Then I have to redo the house roof.

Then I have to escape from the mental institution that I'll be placed in after all this work.

Ummmm....how much did you pay for your house again?

Heh. Doesn't really matter anymore, because most everyone's homes are now worth less than what they paid.   

[shardian]

Heh. Doesn't really matter anymore, because most everyone's homes are now worth less than what they paid.   

Mine is worth about 50% more than I paid for it initially. 

Motivated sellers rule!

[ChadTower]

Yeah, ours is still worth more than what we paid.  Not as much as it was a couple of years ago but still probably 50k more than we paid for it.

[myntik1]

I think I gave this reply to someone else who had trouble finding a good contractor here before - always request RECENT pics of work they've done.  You don't care if they were top notch 10 years ago before they hit the bottle non-stop, I want the quality of the job you did last week.

Another tip I've learned is that those who are good at their craft know math inside and out.  They can take the measurements and give you a rough estimate on the spot.  They may have to go back home or to the office to tweak the numbers based on current prices, but they can do the math in their head.  If a guy needs days and weeks to give you a ballpark estimate he is not legitimate.  But that's just my .02.

[ChadTower]

Or the guy I called yesterday who gave me a full estimate over the phone without even coming to look at the job.  Yeah, that sounds like a good candidate.