NEED A CONTRACTOR?

Tips for selecting a home services provider

By Andrea Busche

It’s a bitterly cold day, and wouldn’t you know it? Your furnace goes out. The furnace was already there when you bought the home, and you have no idea who installed it. How do you find a reputable contractor to repair or replace it? Where do you even begin?

Arrowhead Builders Association (ABA), located at 5255 Maple Grove Road in Hermantown, can help. ABA is a non-profit organization, started in 1952, with a mission of advancing the building industry.

Although they have just two employees, ABA maintains a vast array of affiliated, local tradespeople who have all been stringently vetted to ensure they are licensed, insured, and their work will be done to code. ABA is also governed by a board of directors.

ABA-affiliated tradespeople cover just about every project a homeowner could need help with, from roofing and flooring to concrete, sheetrock, plumbing, electrical and many more. In fact, ABA can likely provide several contractor options for your project. ABA serves a six-county area, including Aitken, Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties in Minnesota, and Douglas County in Wisconsin.

Best of all? There is no charge to contact ABA for advice or assistance.

If you are looking for a home services provider, consider making ABA the first call you make in your research process. It could save you plenty of money, time, and hassle in the long run.

How They Can Help

Chelle Eliason, executive officer of ABA, said there are two primary reasons that homeowners call ABA.

“People call us primarily for referrals,” she said. “We can refer homeowners to a provider, such as a plumber or electrician, or to a supplier. All of our tradespeople are licensed; it’s a requirement. We also do the research to make sure they have insurance and bonding.

“But they also call us for assistance,” she added. “If the homeowner hired someone who is unlicensed, or left the job incomplete – they can call us and there is a process we use for reporting that person or company.”

It is important to note that ABA does not conduct homeowner-con- tractor mediation. But they do provide a list of attorneys who specialize in these types of issues.

DIY – WITH CAUTION

Many people enjoy doing home projects themselves. But Eliason advises against it in a few instances.

“I would always recommend hiring a professional in a situation where a person could be seriously injured, such as with plumbing, electrical, roofing, or working with natural gas,” she said.

If it’s a project the homeowner can safely tackle, however, Eliason recommends their first call be to their city’s building inspection department. Even for small projects, there are often codes to follow and permits required.

“In the city of Duluth, for instance, there are permits required even for putting up a fence,” Eliason said.

“Homeowners sometimes fear the officials working in government offices, but they are there to help. They are a good resource.”

COST COMPARISON

While ABA can provide a comprehensive list of tradespeople for you to consider, they cannot provide pricing. Eliason recommends calling around and getting multiple estimates before hiring a contractor.

“Don’t go by the estimates you find on the internet. You’ll need to call around for your individual situation,” she said. “And make sure the details of your project are specific, so you can compare apples to apples.”

Horror Stories

Eliason has heard plenty of horror stories in her seven years on the job. For instance, permitting.

“We always tell homeowners ‘do not pull your own permits,’” she said.

“The name that appears on the permit is the person ultimately responsible for the work being done correctly.”

“And all kinds of residual issues can happen down the line as a result of their name being on that permit –a lender might not be able to help a homeowner re-finance the property; the homeowner might not be able to get their full amount of homeowners’ insurance; or the homeowner might not even be able to re-sell the home if the work wasn’t done correctly.”

Ensuring that your contractor carries appropriate insurance is another important point. If your roofer, for instance, doesn’t have the appropriate insurance and they fall off your roof, you, or your homeowner’s insurance company, may be sued.

Do Your Due Diligence

When selecting your next home services provider, keep in mind that the onus for a job well done ultimately falls on the homeowner’s shoulders.

So, make sure you do your research in advance to ensure the contractor you select is truly the best person for the job. This includes asking plenty of questions about their insurance, bonding, and licensure, along with knowledge of current coding issues. “It’s wise to invest more time upfront to make sure the work is done properly,” Eliason said.

For more information, call Arrowhead Builders Association at 218-722-5707.