My great grandmother left me a house and it needs a lot of home improvement and order for me and my kids to live in it. Do you know of any one who can help me make it livable?
By tennae from Birmingham, AL
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Look in the phone book for contractors. Where I live there are handymen that advertise in the classifieds and in the small weekly shopping newspaper, which is mainly classifieds. If it has been awhile since the house has been occupied, you might have to have the wiring and plumbing updated and that should be done by a professional.
My husband and I did a lot of business with an area plumbing store. We had to find an experienced building contractor to do some major work on our house before we could put it on the market to sell.
Whether you hire a trades person or a handy person, always, always get references and call the references. There are some very talented handy people and some real slackers amongst the trade people.
Talk to people at your church. They may know how to do the work, know someone who does the work or knows of someone who knows people to do the work. If you don't go to church try the church your great grandmother attended or ask other relatives who go to a church to check into it for you.
Check with your local HRA or HUD. They have plenty of names on hand who are pre-approved and since HUD has policies of good job or you don't get paid, they keep good people on their lists.
Do not go to the phone book for handymen or contractors, this is dangerous. Ask around to friends, neighbors and co-workers for names and recommendations of people. You don't just want anyone around working on a home you will be living in.
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