Knowing Who to Call

If you’ve read any of my stuff, you know I am a chronic do-it-yourselfer, perhaps to a fault. I’d submit that the successful rental property investor can’t sustain profitability without some level of do-it-yourself skills. However, as I’ve grown older, my general body condition and available time seem to be diminishing, I’ve found myself calling in more repairs than I used to. Just last week I called in my paint team to reset a rental unit, something just five years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing! They are in and out in three days and do quality work as evidence by this week’s featured pic.

Critical to knowing who to call is establishing a relationship with good vendors who are trustworthy and work reasonably. However, what is my number one criterion for a service provider or repair person? First and foremost, they must pick up the phone when I call! Often, I’ve reached out to vendors who either would return my call two days later or sometimes not at all. Additionally, I’ve had plumbers, painters and electricians blow off or reschedule appointments at the last minute. This is an incredible inconvenience not only to me but also the tenant who may be waiting to let the worker into the residence.

Usually, this level of service is more expensive. Oftentimes, these vendors may be the larger service providers with a full staff including a receptionist and dispatcher. Maybe the guy or gal down the street that moonlights as a handyman or licensed plumber may work cheaper. But my experience has shown it is much harder to get those folks scheduled quickly. I am willing to pay a little extra if we can get the repairs done correctly but also quickly.  

That being said, don’t throw away the number for the handyman down the street! The plumbers, electricians and handymen with the big office are definitely the go to for the repairs when there is an angry tenant with a leak in the ceiling. But what about when you have a little more time to plan a project?

I’ll provide a vignette which shows why “knowing who to call” can save the investor money. We had a bad water supply leak in the kitchen of one of our condo units. Not only did the damages impact our rental, I also had to settle up with the owners downstairs! Working with my insurance company on this claim was a near daily battle. At one point they threatened not to pay the claim!

After raising a serious ruckus, our insurance company finally said they would commit $10k for repairs. I called a general contractor to come take a look at the job and he laughed. He said he wouldn’t touch the job for less than $30k.

Fortunately, I knew enough people in the area. A handyman friend did the drywall and trim. I did the paint. I caught cabinets and appliances on sale at the big box and there is a discount flooring store nearby I’ve done a lot of business with who cut me a deal. Bottom line, we got a brand-new kitchen in the unit complete with flooring, cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless-steel appliances for exactly $10k. Mind you, this was five years ago!

Knowing who to call is an important skill for the investor or for that matter, in our daily lives. We maintain a pretty expansive “preferred vendor” spreadsheet and keep the contact info updated. Repairs will happen and sometimes you don’t have a choice to do it yourself.

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