On 11 Oct 2004 10:20:53 -0500, someone wrote:

I own a home in Northern Virginia and it's been discussed in the local
papers and among friends that it's really hard to get contractors to work on
residential projects lately. So I understand that. The contractors are having
booming business right now and they're swamped.

I'm seeing the same thing here in a second home area of New England.
It is especially hard to get repairs or small jobs done as there is so
much new work available - and on those (1) the jobs are bigger, (2) no
need to work around the homeowner's prized possessions, (3) can work
only with other professionals that they are used to and do not have to
related to possibly ignorant or demanding homeown ers.

The contractors I know regale me with "stupid homeowner tricks"
stories. Like the guy who started yelling and screaming that he was
being ripped off because he had put calipers on his "half inch"
sheathing and found it was only 7/16ths. On this one, which was
reported to me as it happened, the contractor actually asked me what I
though he should do - and I suggested he have the customer measure his
2x4s (which we all know are actually 1-1/2 by 3-1/2.

Supply and demand is what it is. My suggestion is to make it as
precise and easy for the contractor to understand what to do, WITHOUT
the need for personal "showing" or "telling" or explaining. Draw up
and specify the work so that you do not need to SAY it. This is
partly a gender thing - supposedly a study done by Home Depot about
tools & products showed that males preferred to read the specs and
study the product without anyone "bothering" them - while females
preferred to have a person describe and show them (even if the written
specs and directions were present), Not exactly the same, but I think
analogous.

As for customer service - well, a lot of guys go into the trades
because they are good with their hands, and not because they like
dealing with people. This leaves an opening for larger businesses
that stress the service side - and then sub out the work to the
others, with a big markup to the customer. If you see a business
opportunity here, go for it. Otherwise it is what it is.

I try to have stuff drawn up and written down and fax'd over, and then
they can come look at the site any time without taking up my time
either. Contractors have only their time to sell, and when they are
busy, behind, have people pushing them to get done on their existing
jobs, have the unexpected problems and delays that always come up,
then they are not keen on spending their time visiting with homeowners
who they fear will need lots of hand-holding and that they expect have
also called a dozen other contractors (so they have only a slim chance
of getting the job anyway).

Supply and dmeand is what it is. I arrange maintenance on 4 commercial
locations as well as my home, so I've been thru it too.

-v.