[Mike Finley]

As a homeowner I was allowed to do my own electrical and plumbing work, now as a 'professional' I have to sub out that work to licensed plumbers and electricians.

I want to get a few resources squared away before I need them, I was figuring getting in touch with 3 electricians and 3 plumbers I would be comfortable hiring as subs so I could call upon them when the time comes.

I'm going to try the phone book technique and then Service Magic as advised by Grumpy in another thread.

What should I know about these guys in order to consider them? I was considering meeting with each of them before hand, should I get a copy of their insurance or license? Any questions I should ask about rates or how they charge? Anything else you can think of?

 

[Nathan]

Great Question Mike... does anyone have a Sub interview checklist?

BTW: Welcome to the board Mike!

 

[Grumpy]

Is this your specialization?
How much experience do you have doing this?
How many years has your company been in business?
General Liability?
Workmans Comp?
Is most of your work for GC's or for home owners?
Are you comfortable using email?
Do you have a cell phone?
What are your rates?
Are your trucks clean and in good condition?
Is your equipment new and safe?
Can I have some refrences to GC's you currently work for or have worked for in the past?

Mike also try www.contractorhunt.com Also try local supply houses asking for referrals.

DEFINETLY get a copy of their insurance with yourself and/or company named as the additional insured. Get a copy of their license. Have them sign a sub-contractor agreement.

Check their record with the BBB and the local attorney general's office. If you find them through service magic you will be able to check their customer ratings. Check with your local secretary of state's office to make sure they have been in business as long as they claim.

 

[Grumpy]

OH I forgot the most important question...

Do you do the work yoruself or sub it out?

 

[boardslinger]

Outside of the questioning. Go to some of there sites and see how they work and the quality of their work. How quickly they get jobs done and how effectivly they trouble shoot. Are they gonna need someone to hold their hands or can they take care of minor problems without inncident. I don't think any of the subs you look at are going to have a problem with you checking on their work, if they do you probably don't want to use them. Good Luck.

 

[Glasshousebltr]

Last but not least go to thier home for diner and see what thier wife looks like, ya might want to sneak over there durring a job.

Bob

 

[Mike Finley]

Hey Grumpy,

If you have a moment, could you go into this a bit more?

"DEFINETLY get a copy of their insurance with yourself and/or company named as the additional insured."

We are talking about liablility insurance here right? Minimum of what? 500,000. How does the "my company named as the additional insured" work? If I am trying to get a few of these guys lined up for future work and keep them in a file with all their paperwork so that I can use them when a job comes up, is only when the job comes up when they would put me as the additional insured?

 

[hatchet]

Most often they will you send you a certificate of insurance. We'll often ask that my company and the homeowner be named as additional insureds. That's correct - only when the job comes up will they send another cert. of insurance. I wouldn't go less than 1million per occurence... we require 2million at this time.