There are lots of services, and some will even compile a database for you at a very low fee.
What is your budget?
How many do you want to send out?
[addsig]
A couple of years ago I replaced an electric water heater in my rental unit. I contacted my local power company and asked if they had any special financing or rebate programs if i installing an energy efficient unit.
I learned that they had a loan program that would fund 100% of the purchase and installation. I just had to fill out a simple, one page application, and use one of the contractors on their list of approved contractors.
Interest rate was 5.08% fixed, five year loan with a UCC filing against my property.
I also did a HVAC replacement the same way in the same property.
I recently used HD with very good luck. And in my case, I did it for several of the reasons already pointed – such as turnaround time and financing options.
But one of the main reasons was I wanted to work with a big name company. It was for an out-of-state rehab, and if there were any issues or problems, I would rather deal with someone like HD or Lowes.
It’s also a way for me to sometimes find decent labor in a geographic area I’m not familiar with.
One word of caution -- if you work through HD, Lowes, or someone like that, make sure you remember to buy any miscellaneous hoses, brackets, etc. you may need. Because that $10 hose you forget to pick-up can turn into a $35 hose, if you have to buy it off of the contractor’s truck.
Thanks for the replies. As far as getting a GC in there to estimate the costs, when do I do that? After I sign the Purchase Agreement but before I close, right?
you could just note the things you want to and then call specialists and get over the phone rough estimates, and then get hard written bids during an inspection after the purchase agreement has been accepted.
You will need to eventually get familiarized with what things cost in your market, so that you can go in, take notes, go back to the office, put together a budget, and say this property needs $30,000 of work, and actually know that it is accurate.
There are lots of services, and some will even compile a database for you at a very low fee.
What is your budget?
How many do you want to send out?
[addsig]
A couple of years ago I replaced an electric water heater in my rental unit. I contacted my local power company and asked if they had any special financing or rebate programs if i installing an energy efficient unit.
I learned that they had a loan program that would fund 100% of the purchase and installation. I just had to fill out a simple, one page application, and use one of the contractors on their list of approved contractors.
Interest rate was 5.08% fixed, five year loan with a UCC filing against my property.
I also did a HVAC replacement the same way in the same property.
When I GOOGLED "Home Depot installation problems", I got 4,050,000 hits.
When I googled "Lowes installation problems", I got 433,000 hits.
I guess Home Depot is by far the expert in pissing people off.
[addsig]
I recently used HD with very good luck. And in my case, I did it for several of the reasons already pointed – such as turnaround time and financing options.
But one of the main reasons was I wanted to work with a big name company. It was for an out-of-state rehab, and if there were any issues or problems, I would rather deal with someone like HD or Lowes.
It’s also a way for me to sometimes find decent labor in a geographic area I’m not familiar with.
One word of caution -- if you work through HD, Lowes, or someone like that, make sure you remember to buy any miscellaneous hoses, brackets, etc. you may need. Because that $10 hose you forget to pick-up can turn into a $35 hose, if you have to buy it off of the contractor’s truck.
Just my 2¢
Check out solutions kid calculator in the Products area.
Thanks for the replies. As far as getting a GC in there to estimate the costs, when do I do that? After I sign the Purchase Agreement but before I close, right?
THANKS
you could just note the things you want to and then call specialists and get over the phone rough estimates, and then get hard written bids during an inspection after the purchase agreement has been accepted.
You will need to eventually get familiarized with what things cost in your market, so that you can go in, take notes, go back to the office, put together a budget, and say this property needs $30,000 of work, and actually know that it is accurate.