If you are a homeowner there are a few little tips and secrets you need to know which will keep you one step ahead of the game when things go wrong.
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Most of us collect up a set of useful contacts after a catastrophic event, such a window being smashed and suddenly realising you don’t know any glaziers, or having to change your locks then desperately ringing around to find a good priced, reliable locksmith. This makes an already upsetting event, really stressful. So, after you read this little article why not set yourself up with your own homeowner’s little black book of essential tradesmen to know.
All homes are going to have a plumbing disaster at some point, however finding a plumber who turns up on time and knows your house is actually pretty difficult, especially if you have a complicated pipe system in a gorgeous old property. Getting ahead of the game here will save you strife when you have an emergency so get ringing around a few companies whilst you don’t need them. Ask questions and do your research, see who your neighbors use. You could even invest in calling someone out to check out your system before it goes wrong. This will give you a name and familiar face when things to get out of hand.
Great handymen are hard to find however there a hundreds of reasons that we might need one. The better you know them, the easier it is going to be to work with them. Again, your friends may know a local person who they all rave about but you can also check out your local paper and see who is on offer. If they have a website, look out for testimonials from homeowners in your area. You need someone who is good at DIY, bleeding heating systems, fixing small problems and unblocking drains. General maintenance jobs which you may not have time to do, but will prevent the bigger issues getting out of hand. Spend time with your handyman, drinking a little bit of tea or sharing a bacon sandwich. It’s good to have a strong personal relationship with these guys.
Okay so if you have a great handyman then you will probably be able to make great use of him with basic decorating needs. But for bigger jobs, such as painting the exterior of your house, you need a professional decorator. Don’t underestimate how busy these guys get. There are some great ones who have a waiting list stretching over a year! With jobs such as painting there is nothing worse than paying someone to do a job which we could have done better ourselves. So if you see a home being painted and it looks amazing, get in touch with the owner and ask who they used.
Having a full little black book of go to people, will ensure you are prepared and have access to the best tradesman on hand. So get your research done and give yourself a headstart.