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Zack Childress Tips for 8 Things You Should Do Before Hiring a Contractor

Zack is one of the few investors to have successfully maneuvered through the housing crash and come through it with a completely automated business that generates a full 5-figure income each and every month! Zack Childress, aka Mr. Automation, is one of the leading experts on Automating your Real Estate Business and Virtual investing.

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Zack Childress Tips for 8 Things You Should Do Before Hiring a Contractor

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  1. Zack Childress, of REI Success Academy, has a widely diverse business background and experience in successful Real Estate Investments Business Development. He is always strategically developing his businesses based on market trends and cycles to stay ahead of the pack. When it comes to building a strong investment portfolio and ways to invest he finds the best deals out there using automation and the internet to grow his business.

  2. He never stops creating new ways to automate his business to maximize his returns. Zack believes all successful businesses must not only have systems in place but also have automated systems to excel and surpass their competition. Most people in his position would retire but he has not, he still buys and sells real estate today in this turbulent market using the same systems he has mastered over the many years of investing.

  3. Zack has created here is one on how to find a Great Contractor. So I have put a list of the 8 things we do to find them and how we prescreen them. • Ask your friends and family • Look in the phone book, but only to make sure your contractor is listed in it. • Check references thoroughly. • Do a basic business checkup. • Ask an annoying amount of questions • Get several bids and if they’re different, find out why • Put everything in the contract, and make sure the contract is in writing • Trust your gut

  4. 1.Ask your friends and family • Wouldn’t you rather hire a contractor recommended by someone you trust? Contractors call these projects “referrals” and they prefer them, too. • If you can’t find someone you know to give you a recommendation, find a trusted source for a recommendation. • Ask the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or a contractor’s association in your area.

  5. 2.Look in the phone book, but only to make sure your contractor is listed in it. • Your home is likely the most valuable thing you own.  • Do you really want to find someone to work on your prized possession in the yellow pages? Probably not. • One thing the phone book is good for, however, is to make sure your contractor is listed in it. • It’s just one more certification of legitimacy.

  6. 3.Check References thoroughly • Ask the contractor for the names and contact information of several recent customers who would be willing to share their experience.  • This may sound like a pain, but when you’re spending thousands of dollars for a home improvement project that should last years; you want to make sure you’ve done your homework. • More research upfront means fewer regrets later.

  7. Here are some questions to ask a contractor’s previous customers • Was the project completed to your satisfaction? • Was the project completed on time and on budget? • Were there unexpected additional costs? What were they? • Did the contractor communicate well during the project? • Did the crew(s) show up when expected? • Did the crew(s) do a complete cleanup after the project was completed? • Would you recommend the contractor? Would you use this contractor again? • May I view the completed project?

  8. 4.Do a basic business checkup • Ask the contractor to see any required licenses and confirm that all documentation is current. • If applicable, find out if the contractor is using any subcontractors. • Make sure they’ve been paid on time in the past by this contractor, and check their documentation as well. • In addition, get a “lien release” or “lien waiver” from every subcontractor and every supplier working on your project. • That way, none of them can place a lien on your home if they are not paid by your contractor, potentially forcing you to sell your house to pay your contractor’s bills.

  9. 5.Ask an annoying amount of questions • This is not the time to hold back. • If you don’t understand some of the specialty jargon the contractor’s using, ask about it. • If you don’t understand the process, or if you’re confused about why things have to be done a certain way, ask, ask, and ask. • Don’t stop asking questions until you’re totally clear.

  10. 6.Get several bids, if they’re different, find out why • Allow the contractor to tell you about materials and labor. • Often the lowest bid isn’t the best, but you’ll only be able to compare them once you know exactly what you’re paying for. • Often the lowest bid isn’t the best, but you’ll only be able to compare them once you know exactly what materials and labor each bid includes and you can compare apples to apples.

  11. 7.Put everything in the contract, and make sure the contract is in writing • A written contract. • That’s how “contractors” got their name. • And it’s how you’ll save yourself from grief if something should go wrong with your project. • Even if your state doesn’t require that a contract be in writing, get it in writing. • The contractor gives the details of the project and should be brief, clear, and easy to understand.

  12. Here’s what you should make sure a written contract contains: • Contractor’s name, address, phone number and if required, license number • Estimated start and finish date • Payment schedule for contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers • Contractor’s requirement to get all needed permits • Any verbal promises should be confirmed in writing in the contract • List of all materials to be used, including product, brand, color, size, and model.

  13. 8.Trust your gut • Even if everything else checks out, if you don’t feel right about the situation or if you don’t like the contractor’s manner, listen to your instincts. • A home improvement project can derail if you and the contractor can’t communicate or get along with each other. • Most home improvement projects involve a certain amount of close contact with the contractor and crew, as they work in your yard, on your roof, in your living room or kitchen. • You want to make sure you hire a contractor you feel comfortable with.

  14. Conclusion zack is a full- time real estate investor, mentor, coach and has been for last 11 years. See More: http://zackchildress.com/ http://co-wholesaling.com/ http://reisuccesscoaching.com/ http://creativerealestatetraining.com/

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