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5 Tips for Finding a Good Contractor

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When you need work done on your home or business, you need to find the right contractor for the job. Finding a good contractor is unfortunately not always easy, especially if you have no previous experience with contractors in the area. There are some ways you can make sure that the contractor you hire for your next construction, renovation or other property work is up to the task. The following are the top 5 tips you should follow in order to find a good contractor.

Tip #1: Conduct an interview with the candidates

One of the best ways to get a handle on a contractor is to conduct an in-person interview with them and if possible, their team. The interview should go over questions such as whether they work on multiple projects at the same time, their projected completion time, your expectations for the work, and any other important information that is relevant to the job.

Tip #2: Look for recommendations

If you don’t have any experience with the contractor or other contractors in your area, then it’s time to start looking for recommendations. Ask around to find anyone who has experience with certain contractors in order to get feedback on their experiences. If possible, ask the person you are getting a recommendation from about the quality of the work and customer service provided by the contractor.

Tip #3: Visit a job site

You should investigate an active job site being worked on by that contractor in order to see for yourself what their work ethic and overall work environment is like. Do they seem to start on time? Do they behave professionally while on the job? Do they take a lot of breaks? What is the overall atmosphere and ethic on the job site? Seeing the contractor and their teamwork in person will give you a general idea of how they will behave when working on your job.

Tip #4: Get more than one bid

Never stick with a single potential contractor and a single bid. Always get multiple bids for your job, preferably from a range of contractors that you consider to be qualified for the work. You should also remember that just because the bid is the lowest, it doesn’t mean that it’s the best bid overall. You must consider elements such as the overall project completion time, work ethic, and other factors which could impact the quality of the contractor’s work.

Tip #5: Check for licensing and insurance

You should always ask to see a potential contractor’s licensing information and insurance documentation. You don’t want to find out too late the contractor doesn’t carry insurance or doesn’t possess a license.  The best time to bring this up is during the interview process. If they aren’t forthcoming with their paperwork, then skip them and find someone else. A good contractor will always be up to date with all their licensing and insurance certification and will have no problem showing them to prospective clients.

Remember: finding a good contractor takes time and work, but with the above tips in mind, you’ll find the process less frustrating overall.

Fortunately for our clients, we do this work for them.

Are Month to Month Leases Worth it For Landlords?

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It is becoming more and more common to see landlords willing to agree to month to month leases for their tenants. But are month to month leases actually worth it for landlords? Let’s take a closer look at what month to month leases entail and why they may—or may not—be worth it for a landlord.

Month to Month Leases vs. Annual Leases

A traditional lease is typically for 12 months, though some leases may be longer depending on the property and the location. Since traditional leases lock in tenants for 12 months, there is more notice for contract renewal. A month to month lease, on the other hand, is renewed on a monthly basis. This means that tenants can renew—or not renew—their leases on a monthly basis.

Are There Benefits to a Month to Month Lease?

For landlords—not particularly. The benefits to month to month leases rest primarily with tenants. Tenants can benefit from having a more flexible contract which they can leave on short notice, leaving landlords in a potential lurch if they don’t have new tenants lined up (which may be difficult depending on the time of year or if most people in the area are already locked into 12-month leases). Problems can also arise with month to month agreements if there is an issue regarding damage to the apartment or other rental space.

Why Landlords Should Avoid Month to Month Leases

There are plenty of reasons why landlords should avoid month to month leases. The most notable are:

Uncertainty regarding the end of a tenancy contract

Because month to month contracts do not have a fixed end date, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the status of a tenancy contract. Will the tenant renew? Or leave? This can cause a range of issues for landlords who will find themselves unsure as to whether a tenant will renew. Landlords need time to advertise for future tenants, so suddenly needing to find new tenants with less than 30 days of notice can be a huge problem. Landlords will also need time to inspect the apartment or rental unit for damages and pursue them if necessary. Landlords may need time to take new photos, create new listings, and all the other time-consuming actions that come with re-listing a space.

Unstable income

Twelve-month or longer contracts ensure that landlords have stable income, whereas month to month contracts can effectively end at any moment; this means the income from these contracts may disappear with little to no warning at all, leaving landlords scrambling to make up the difference. Instability can be a serious problem for landlords, who—like tenants—have their own bills to pay and financial obligations to meet.

Final Thoughts

Month to month contracts may sound appealing to certain tenants, but for landlords, they provide nothing but instability and the unending hassle that comes with tenants who can choose to leave without hardly any warning. Landlords, as a rule, should stick to longer contracts instead.