Are you a Chester County, PA landlord searching for contractors for your rental property? You have come to the right place! Keep reading to not only learn about the top contractors in Chester County but also what types of contractors you will need plus tips for finding them in the area!
Types of Contractors Landlords Need
There are several types of contractors a landlord needs to have a good working relationship with. These contractors include:
- A plumber: A plumber is a much necessary contractor to have ready to go at any time. Issues arise with toilets, sinks, tubs, etc. and generally they can be emergency maintenance situations. Therefore, having a skilled and certified plumber contractor ready to go is imperative.
- Electrician: Electric is another area where if issues arise, they tend to me emergency situations. Electricians could be used for electric issues, but also to install new light fixtures for upgrades between tenants, etc. That is why it is good to have a close working relationship with an electrician/electric company.
- Carpenter: A carpenter may be used less than other contractors, however, are necessary to make major changes and upgrades to the home. They can also be used between tenants for any major structural repairs needed.
- HVAC Tech: HVAC techs are needed for emergencies as well as servicing HVACs. It is beneficial to keep the heating and air system intact and working well as long as possible. Replacing an HVAC is quite costly, having a tech to help maintain your rental properties is key to getting 15+ years out of the system (average longevity).
Additional Contractors/Vendors Useful for Landlords
Below are some additional contractors and vendors that are recommended for landlords to have on deck.
- Carpet cleaner: A carpet cleaner can be important to have on deck. Although it isn’t needed in any emergency situation generally, having a trusted vendor will be useful for turnovers.
- House cleaning: A house cleaning vendor can both be offered to tenants and used for the turnover process (just like a carpet cleaner). You will want to find a cleaning vendor that can do move-out cleans and will lock you in at a set price. Switching vendors around for cleaning will lead to unreliable budgeting and cleaning experiences.
- Landscapers: Landscapers may be good for properties that are single-family homes with lots of front and/or backyard. Trusting a tenant to upkeep the landscaping could result in a bad appearance and cost more money to fix when they move out. A trusted landscape company can keep the exterior of the property looking appealing year-round and add to the value of the home/rental value.
- General contractor: A general contractor is one that can help with many things around the property from painting to more major construction. This well-rounded individual can be used for small and large projects around the house as well as certain emergency situations.
Tips for Finding Contractors for your Chester County Rental Property
Now that you know what types of contractors you will need to build relationships with to maintain a well-run property, follow these tips to find the best ones!
- Research: Do your research and take into account online reputation! Find contractors in the area using Yelp, Google, and other sites that allow individuals to leave reviews. You will want to choose contractors with 4-star ratings and above. Online reputation can be a good pre-cursor to whether the contractor does a good job or not.
- Ask other landlords: Ask other landlords you know or use networking events for their recommendations for contractors. You can trust online reviews but only to a certain extent. The best reference is someone you know/trust that has used the contractor before with positive experiences.
- Interview several and check references: Don’t just go with the first option or cheapest option. Reach out to several contractors and have them come to the property to give estimates. Ask questions to be sure they will be able to perform the tasks you have at hand.
Top Contractors in Chester County
- Precise Home Services: Precise Home Services is well-established in the area with 15+ years of service. They offer plenty of contracting services small or large. These services include; interior design, carpentry, electric work, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and more.
- Castelli Roofing and General Contractors: This contractor is good for single-family homes. Not only do they have a network of general contractors to service any and all maintenance or construction needs, but roof specialists too. They can fix leaks, install new roofing, and perform other roof related maintenance.
- Horn Plumbing and Heating: Horn is a highly rated contractor in the area for all your plumbing and HVAC/heating needs. As previously mentioned, both of these services are considered must-haves for any landlord.
- Reanimate Contractors: Renimate Contractors is another company with a network of general contractors and specialists to help with all your property maintenance and construction needs. They can handle tasks big, small, emergency, or project-based.
Consider Hiring a Property Management Company
Hiring a property management company is useful for many reasons. Especially dealing with maintenance vendors and contractors. When you hire a Chester County property management company will already have a network of trusted contractors to use for your properties. Bay Property Management Group Chester County works with a variety of fully-licensed contractors and vendors. By working with BMG, you can rest assured that we’ve already vetted our contractors and negotiated pricing to pass the savings along to our clients.
