As a property manager, we understand our clients are looking for the best value when in comes to maintenance. However, we have seen a lot of renovations and maintenance work done, where hiring the cheap guys has resulted in a lot more money out of pocket in the end, as well as properties that take longer to rent, and rent for less money than those properties with quality renovations and upkeep. Cheap does not equal value if you have to pay to have the work done twice!
Hiring the cheap guys can sometimes result in a property that looks good on the outside, and things even appear to work with a short test, but then owners find that once people are actively living in the home, things quickly start to break down. Hidden plumbing issues can start to pop up within a few days of people regularly using the plumbing, resulting in ceiling and wall damage, clogs, and other issues. Windows and doors start to leak when it rains, interior doors drag on floors and cause damages, outlets don’t work properly, cracks start to appear, flooring buckles, and more. This is often when that cheap contractor and your money are nowhere to be found.
Hiring bad contractors can also result in properties that look bad. In the current market, that can make them difficult to rent at all, much less at a good price for the area. Good tenants often take note of these small things that can make even a newly renovated properly look improperly maintained. If you’ve just completed a renovation, be sure to walk through BEFORE issuing the final payment to your contractor. If you are not local, it would be well worth it to pay a local third party to inspect the work completed. Here are some easy things that even a non-expert can look for that may need to be repaired or even-redone before you issue that payment. These are all things we have seen at least once in recent renovations managed by owners and brought to us for management.
- Test all appliances
- Run water for several minutes and check for leaks
- Test all doors – do they rub on flooring? Are they installed right side up? Can you see light and air leaking in around an exterior door?
- Check all hardware was installed properly. Closet rods and shelves, shower curtain rod, etc
- Check all kitchen and vanity cabinet doors for proper operation
- Do all kitchen cabinets have shelves properly installed?
- How does newly installed flooring feel when you walk on it? Is it moving? Are tile floors crunching or even cracked?
- How does the trim look? Are there missing flooring transitions? Missing quarter-round? Mis-matches?
- Do windows lock, easy to operate? Screens present?
- Test the outlets
- How is the paintwork? Lines straight? No paint on outlets or switch covers? Smooth (we’ve all seen that meme where they painted right over the roach, right?)
- How are the walls? Do un-sanded spackle just painted over? No holes left behind?
- Look over outside drain and slop sinks for any evidence concrete or other matierials were disposed of there
When hiring a contractor, fist make sure they are licensed and insured. Look them up on the state registration website. Ask for a copy of their insurance policies. How long have they been in business? Often the best contractors come through personal referrals, or through a professional property manager who has an ongoing relationship with the vendor. While price is certainly important, use caution before jumping to sign up with the cheapest company you can find. As they say, you get what you pay for!
