How to call a contractor?

[430752]

Yeah, like after I dial the number and get an answering machine, what do I say?


Sure sounds dumb, but I called 4 masons last week and not a single one has called back. Yeah, the holiday weekend and such, but I called Wednesday night and Thursday mid-morning. I know they usually only call back in the morning as going to a job or in the afternoon when off the job, but stilll..geez! Normally, I wouldn't be so bothered, but in the past year (since I've moved to a new, old home) I've generally found it difficult to get callbacks. And no no call backs whatsoever. I thought with this economy they'd be eager for business?

I've no clue how I could be screwing such an easy thiing up, but apparently I do it wrong. Any contractors here got any insight?

[radhak]

Interesting question.

Having never received a callback from any contractor of any sort, I always thought that (Dont Call Back!) is a criterion for becoming a Contractor...

[crokett]

How big is the job you want done? What do you want done? Do you want it permitted, inspected, etc?

If the job is small enough it may be tough getting somebody. If the job requires permitting/inspections they may not want to deal with that and/or a homeowner who would be responsible for that.

[chopnhack]

If it is a small job and know what needs to be done, skip the GC and go to some job sites and speak with some of the workers or if someone of authority approaches, then speak with them as well. Tell them you have a job and see what they say. Only talk with them after you have watched them for a little while....make sure they work well!

[stormdog74]

And I thought it was just me! I've called a number of people over the years and get very few call backs. I don't know, but it just seems rude not to return a call, even if you don't want the work. It just seems like good business sense as well - when I have a big job in the future, you can bet I won't be calling the ones who didn't return my calls.

[mschrank]

It's not just you. I've never gotten a call back. Only way I've gotten a contractor to my place is via a third party (a friend who personally knows the contractor). And then I'm never happy with their work.

[Ed62]

It's very bad business policy to not return all calls. Unfortunately that seems to be the way most businesses are run today. How can you feel sorry for them when the going gets tough?

Ed

[BrazosJake]

That's page one of the shortest book ever written, "Contracting for Dummies" (or was that "Dummies for Contracting"???)

Page two: "always say it'll be two weeks".

Page three: "go away for a few months, then come back to town and re-open under a new name".

[RodKirby]

A GREAT service we have in Melbourne - I know, doesn't help you, but it would be a gold mine for somebody to set up...

A thing called Service Central - I have used it many times for small and large jobs (costs me nothing). ALWAYS get a call back, ALWAYS had a good contractor - ALWAYS arrived on time. Check it out...

http://www.servicecentral.com.au/

[frumper64]

If they service your area, you might give Service Magic a shot. I have used them a couple of times and gotten prompt calls from contractors. I used them for some interior paint work (including scraping the popcorn off the ceilings and then retexturing and painting) and also for pest control. The contractors they referred were good folks - did what they said they would, when they said they would do it.

Try www.servicemagic.com - then search by zip code

Good luck

[BerniePA]

I used to have this problem until I ran into one good GC who does excellent work and I made personal friends with him. Now, if I need something done, I call him and if it is something that he does not do, (like recently I needed some gutters put up), and he called one of his friends in the gutter business and got me seamless gutters put up before the next rain drop fell.

Also if I am doing something myself, like I sheetrocked my garage/shop and he found out I was working on it and dropped off a drywall gun for me to borrow without me even asking.

He's been a life saver for me.

[Bill Stock]

Not a contractor, but recently had a fence installed which required moving the sprinklers first.

Called about 5 sprinkler companies, only got replies from two. The one guy I called twice, emailed once and he was also referred by the sprinkler manufacturer. They wanted $200 to show up and turn on the water for a system test. They never did show up. Guy number two was a younger kid who showed up after one call, sent me the quote by email and followed up by phone. But the way the fence timing/install worked out I ended up ripping out the sprinklers myself and putting them back myself. Guy #2 will get any future business.

Called three guys for the fence, only one would come out to give me a quote. The others would only tell me X $s per foot. Guy 3 wasn't the cheapest, but they were very good to deal with and did a decent job.

Our government has a tax credit right now for home renos, so the contractors are still fairly busy here.

[docrowan]

Plus one on the personal friends of a contractor. My wife's cousin is a personal friend and fellow church member who builds houses and does remodels. We always ask him for recommendations. He'll steer us to the right people who he's used before. I've got him and his partner doing some remodel work for us now. I'm glad to be able to give him some work during this slow period in the real estate market, especially after all the free advice he's given us.

[Kristofor]

I imagine based on some past threads that you must be calling union outfits? Yeah, I know it's actually a requirement for the profession as a whole, not just the card carriers.

Anyhow, as just about everyone has said, personal referral is the best choice. I know two guys I would work with and one I absolutely wouldn't based on that selection criteria...

[billwmeyer]

Contractors

I thought I was the only one that got ignored. I had a section of roof that I did not have time to do. I had done all of the other parts. I called everyone in the book including a good friend from high school 3 times. I never mentioned it was a partial, just a roofing job. I finally went to a contractors home and got it estimated and done in short time. Was he the best value? Yes, because he was the only one I could reach.

Bill