How do you find good professionals?

WAW44 · Nov 11, 2021

Physicians, Lawyers, Mechanics, Contractors.. whoever?

I have Lawyers and Physicians in my immediate family and both are senior and highly respected in their community. When I need something in either area, I can just ask and I'm 100% confident their network includes best in the field. I know when I need a specialist, I will get referred to the best, professional courtesy will get me to the front of the line, and I'm not going to waste time with hacks.

Having this access, makes me always nervous and annoyed at dealing with other professions. Every professions has hacks at the bottom, good skilled people at the top. Sometimes it's life and death, and sometimes it's simply getting stuff done like getting your car fixed. How does one find the right people in a profession, the ones at the top end skill wise?

Ura-Ki · Nov 11, 2021

I usually ask for references when looking to hire prospective professionals. A lot of times, a call to the Local will also aid in making a choice. I have dealt with most of the trades over the years since retiring, and most will be more then willing to recommend good folks you can trust! An example, I needed a plaster guy, asked several tradesmen and all recommended the same guy, contacted him and had him come and give an estimate, turns out, the guy is the top artisan plasterer guy in North America, he has done Many of the top mcmansions in the Vegas area as well as all the top hotels in the casinos, as well as several model homes in high end communities! To say his work was awesome is a failure to describe his awesomeness! Best money spent and we got far more then we were looking for at a very reasonable price!

Bacchus · Nov 23, 2021

I had a good experience with Home Advisor about a year ago.

SonicBlue03 · Nov 23, 2021

I take my truck bed empty to Home Depot, and leave full. You know what I mean.

WAW44 · Nov 23, 2021

SonicBlue03 said:
I take my truck bed empty to Home Depot, and leave full. You know what I mean.

Not subject of this thread. I would hardly call anyone in HD, inside or outside, a professional at anything.

Longwalkhome · Nov 23, 2021

Normally a professional has built a history of good performance over time. Most won't stay in business if they do crummy work but some do by moving around a lot. So I look at how long in my area and then how satisfied folks are with the work.

Not always a perfect way because dealerships keep the same name but owners change.

Next I talk to them about something I am informed enough that I know if they are liars. Anyone that lies isn't a professional when it comes to service jobs but lawyers are pretty much professional liars to fit in the system.

Going to have a new roof put on so do I pick a higher priced long time professional roofing company or the guy who has a bunch of illegals doing the work cheaper? The guy flipping a house gets the cheapest shoddy work done because he isn't concerned about quality but price. The guy that plans to stay wants the best.

Carry that on to other work, the guy getting rid of the car doesn't care about cheap parts and shoddy work as he is selling the problems to others.

Basically saying pick folks who stand behind their work first with a history of good performance in your area. Cheap doesn't mean better.

Flopsweat · Nov 23, 2021

WAW44 said:
Not subject of this thread. I would hardly call anyone in HD, inside or outside, a professional at anything.

But that's what makes it funny.

SonicBlue03 · Nov 23, 2021

WAW44 said:
Not subject of this thread. I would hardly call anyone in HD, inside or outside, a professional at anything.

You're welcome to your opinion, and you can feel free to dismiss the suggestion but you're the one asking for help here and you were given some. Karen.

PenTurner · Nov 23, 2021

Taking about having a roof put on. We just had ours replaced and finished yesterday. They qouted $10k for the job, and an extra 6500 if we wanted to replace the shiplap with plywood. Looking up in the attic, the ship lap was fine and we decided to just have the roofing put on the shiplap. They proceed to remove the roofing and I notice that they are nailing plywood over the shiplap. We make some calls and tell them we don't want the plywood, and they tell us that they can not warranty the roof if the roofing in on shiplap. Then they replace the facia boards at $17 a foot, costs us 2k for $400-500 in lumber, I guess the extra $1500 is for labor. If you are having your roof replaced, be careful of them adding addition costs after they remove the roofing.

WAW44 · Nov 23, 2021

PenTurner said:
Taking about having a roof put on. We just had ours replaced and finished yesterday. They qouted $10k for the job, and an extra 6500 if we wanted to replace the shiplap with plywood. Looking up in the attic, the ship lap was fine and we decided to just have the roofing put on the shiplap. They proceed to remove the roofing and I notice that they are nailing plywood over the shiplap. We make some calls and tell them we don't want the plywood, and they tell us that they can not warranty the roof if the roofing in on shiplap. Then they replace the facia boards at $17 a foot, costs us 2k for $400-500 in lumber, I guess the extra $1500 is for labor. If you are having your roof replaced, be careful of them adding addition costs after they remove the roofing.

Lessons in contract creation:

1. Did the $10k quote detail out the terms and method, like this shiplap vs plywood? If no, then this is issue #1.
2. When you decided to keep the shiplap, did you communicate this in writing, and request acknowledgement as well as asked if there are any concerns? if yes, and they didn't raise the warranty issue, it would be on them. if you didn't communicate, issue #2.
3. Were the facia boards in the detailed scope of work? Was there a detailed scope of work? If not, issue #3.
4. Was there an agreed process for addressing unexpected stuff that came up? For example, they found unexpected damage. Do they just fix and charge you, or do you at least get a notification and are asked for an opinion on how to proceed? If none of the above, issue #4.

Longwalkhome · Nov 23, 2021

PenTurner said:
Taking about having a roof put on. We just had ours replaced and finished yesterday. They qouted $10k for the job, and an extra 6500 if we wanted to replace the shiplap with plywood. Looking up in the attic, the ship lap was fine and we decided to just have the roofing put on the shiplap. They proceed to remove the roofing and I notice that they are nailing plywood over the shiplap. We make some calls and tell them we don't want the plywood, and they tell us that they can not warranty the roof if the roofing in on shiplap. Then they replace the facia boards at $17 a foot, costs us 2k for $400-500 in lumber, I guess the extra $1500 is for labor. If you are having your roof replaced, be careful of them adding addition costs after they remove the roofing.

Roofers don't like space sheeting because it's hard to work on. Full deck makes the job easier and safer for them and you probably get a better longer lasting roof as the materials lay down better on a solid flat surface. If you bought the right materials.

Range master gunworks in Lebanon is a perfect example of a time tested top performing professional in his skill range. Great quality work that he stands behind because he is here to stay. Honest as can be and the only lies he tells are jokes he heard from liars.

Construction, did it most of my life. An example of what's different I will use one area , paving your drive with asphalt. Local companies have local names but most have been bought out by big conglomerates that want to keep the local name. Multi billion dollar companies that run on a bottom line and a set profit they must make on the job. Get in, get it done and get out then count your money.

One of the few paving companies left is a family business that has lived here long time and stands on the quality of their work, North Santiam paving. They know if you are not satisfied then their business suffers. If a multi billion dollar company suffers some then they change their name and ruin that name. If a Construction company changes its name a lot then find out the reason. In the valley you are not going to get many choices as so many companies are owned by billion dollar investment firms with bottom lines.

No_Regerts · Nov 23, 2021

WAW44 said:
Physicians, Lawyers, Mechanics, Contractors.. whoever?

I have Lawyers and Physicians in my immediate family and both are senior and highly respected in their community. When I need something in either area, I can just ask and I'm 100% confident their network includes best in the field. I know when I need a specialist, I will get referred to the best, professional courtesy will get me to the front of the line, and I'm not going to waste time with hacks.

Having this access, makes me always nervous and annoyed at dealing with other professions. Every professions has hacks at the bottom, good skilled people at the top. Sometimes it's life and death, and sometimes it's simply getting stuff done like getting your car fixed. How does one find the right people in a profession, the ones at the top end skill wise?

It's kind if scary because there is usually a lot of money at stake when you get beyond the DIY stage. References and the ability to examine their work/results are great when available. That, or gain some knowledge of the process and test them a bit with questions you already know answers to.