Poway that much stricter on home improvement work (permits)? (San Diego: hardwood floors, real estate)

[whiteboyslo]

I'm trying to get some work done on my new house (well, new to me) and can't believe how hard it is to get people out to even take a look and give me a quote. Here's a rough idea of what I'm looking to get done:

• Install a ceiling fan (no electrical pulled for it yet)
• Install some lighting in a living room / kitchen
• Install a whole-house exhaust fan
• Install a bathroom fan where one has not existed until now
• Remove and replace a broken exhaust fan (different bathroom)
• Etc

I started out by calling up a handyman that was highly recommended by a friend. He basically wanted nothing to do with the work, citing that Poway is overly strict on making sure the proper permits are pulled. I told him I'd be willing to pull the permits myself and have him do the work, but after trying to get a definitive answer out of the Poway folks as to what exactly that entails, I've decided to simply leave it to the pros. If a permit needs to be pulled, I'd prefer to have them deal with it.

So now I've called/written quite a few electricians I found on yelp with good reviews, but can't seem to get any responses.

I'm wondering if Poway maybe IS that much more of a pain about getting work done, or if I'm going about this the wrong way. Maybe it's not an electrician I need but a contractor?

Looking for advice on how to go about all this. I have no issue having this done legitimately (permits and all), but I can't believe it's that much of a hassle to get some work done, especially when (supposedly) people 'in the field' are looking for work.

Mike

PS - No, I'm really not comfortable doing this kind of work myself.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Mike,

It is definitely handyman type work and pulling the permits + the jobs isnt quick easy money if you know what I mean. I am pretty certain they would want to just to do it without the permits (this is most common from what I hear.)

For this kind of work, my advice is for you to apply for the permits then shop the handy men if need be. Or just go straight to general contractor that is licensed, but expect to pay for a premium for it.

[futbol]

The only time we needed a permit was when we put in a tile roof and we live in Poway. We've done a lot to our place since moving in around '97.

You can also call the City permits office or drop by. They are very helpful.

You might want to shop around for another handyman. One company I would recommend is D&D General Contracting:

D and D General Contracting, Inc. - Home

Better is to find someone who is good at minor handyman stuff through word of mouth. We have our own go-to people depending on the nature of the work.

[whiteboyslo]

3 e-mails to 3 different contractors since I posted this. Not a single phone call.

Guess the market is doing better than I thought........

Mike

[Sealtite]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

Or just go straight to general contractor that is licensed, but expect to pay for a premium for it.

I'd use a licensed electrician if I was you. Electricity isn't something you wanna screw around with yourself if you don't know what you're doing. It's also not something you'd wanna hire a "jack of all trades" to do either, IMHO. If something isn't done right....you could wind up having a fire.

Having said that, I'm not sure what you mean by paying a "premium" for a licensed contractor. Attaining and maintaining a contractor's license in California is more of a hassle than it is a monetary issue. It costs less than $1,000 for a business entity or sole proprietor to become licensed. Chances are that whether you hire an unlicensed vs. licensed contractor to perform work for you, the price isn't gonna vary based on their licensed status.

[earlyretirement]

You might want to invest in a membership to Angie's List (Doctor Reviews & Contractors Ratings - Find a Doctor or General Contractor | Angie's List). It was a good investment for me. I've used all kinds of businesses from it that have good reviews. All have been really responsive. I just tell them when I call them that I heard about them on AngiesList and they automatically know that they will be rated so response time is very good. Just today I called up a Window Tint company to put some privacy film on some windows. I told him I heard about him on AngiesList and he offered to come right out in 2 days for a free estimate. I've had the same kind of results for landscapers, garage door installers, and other vendors.

Also, check with some other real estate related blogs. Try posting on Forums | Piggington's Econo-Almanac | San Diego Housing Market News and Analysis and asking for recommendations and a local realtor recommended a company. I posted there looking for a good and ethical hardwood flooring company and I couldn't be more pleased with the guys that are working on my hardwood floors. These guys are the same guys that put in the hardwood flooring for Chargers QB Philip Rivers' house. VERY good team and they sent 2 teams of guys over so they will be finished in half the time they originally quoted me. I can't believe how hard of workers they are. There at 7 AM and working up to 4 PM with not much of a lunch break even. Very impressive.

I think between AngiesList or posting on a real estate related blog you will get some referrals of good quality people. But as Shmoov mentioned, it will probably cost you. But I've learned time is money. You can spin your wheels and kill a bunch of time and not get any results trying to get the cheapest.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by Sealtite

I'd use a licensed electrician if I was you. Electricity isn't something you wanna screw around with yourself if you don't know what you're doing. It's also not something you'd wanna hire a "jack of all trades" to do either, IMHO. If something isn't done right....you could wind up having a fire.

Having said that, I'm not sure what you mean by paying a "premium" for a licensed contractor. Attaining and maintaining a contractor's license in California is more of a hassle than it is a monetary issue. It costs less than $1,000 for a business entity or sole proprietor to become licensed. Chances are that whether you hire an unlicensed vs. licensed contractor to perform work for you, the price isn't gonna vary based on their licensed status.

Sealtite,

I totally agree with the 'jack of all trades' and hiring the right person for the right job.
However, the premium I was talking about was being able to charge a premium price per hour for what I would consider intermediate tasks, relevant to what the OP wanted as a licensed contractor vs not.
Its like, what is the difference between buying a "Ceritifed Pre Owned" car vs paying less for one from Cheap Charlies Autos for the same make/model and condition. There is no guarante that the CPO will run any longer than the one from the other dealership. People that dont know, want some kind of certification or guarantee regardless. Its also a matter of legal recourse or accountability for the homeowner getting the work done in some instances

I think for a homeowner that has never hired a handyman or contractor and what you are saying is true. The first question I would ask based on your premise is: if its not expensive or terribly difficult to get a contractors license, why the avoidance in getting one? I would guess a GOOD contractor and business person knows this and can charge a premium.