By Fred Sailer
In today's world of planned obsolescence, most of us have learned to dispose of broken things in and around our home, especially those of minor value. Conversely there are many things we possess that are far too expensive or elaborate to dispose of in a hasty manner. If the roof of your house is leaking you will not consider selling your home; if your two year old car has brake malfunctions, it's too early to trade in for another; a drip in the basement water pipes does not require re-piping the entire home. These grand repair jobs call for a seasoned professional, and are cause for spending moderate amounts of money to prevent even greater catastrophes.
Let’s assume your roof needs to be done, so before you wade through the long list of contractors in the phone book to pick the right person for your job, make a few preliminary calls. The first logical step is to call any friends who may have had similar work done in the recent past. If you can't get any help there, you'll try the neighbors, assuming you're on good terms with most of them. Strike two; nobody has had their roof patched in the last few years. Now it's time to cruise the neighborhood and look for any houses having roof work done, or any place you can recall seeing a roofer's truck. These people will surely be happy to recommend a good job, or be all too willing to complain about and warn you off an inadequate tradesman who left them feeling robbed and unsatisfied with the work. If you get a good referral through one of these tactics, you’re on your way to eliminating your headache.
If you have been unfortunate enough to miss out on any solutions, you are going to need the Yellow Pages or one of those community business booklets often found in your mailbox. From this vast list of maintenance contractors, pick three or four companies at random, and phone for an estimate. Any reputable firm should offer you a free estimate in the course of trying to win your business; always get a written estimate to prevent a disreputable outfit from gouging you later on. While the contractor is looking over the job, ask him all the questions you need answered: How long will this take? Is there a period of acclimation? Are there any special instructions about the work? How long is the work guaranteed?
Any estimates you get should all come to approximately the same figure. If one estimate is exceptionally low, you should be suspicious; an extremely low number indicates that something is wrong. Remember these people are in business to make money, so why can one contractor offer you such a low rate? I would guess that he is either using inferior materials, will not do a thorough job, or will run out on you as soon as the retaining cheque has cleared. Whatever the reason, this is not the company you should choose.
By the same token you may receive an estimate that is astronomically higher than the others. I doubt there will be anything wrong with their work or materials, and they are probably very financially reputable, but they probably don’t need the work. None-the-less, the estimates in the mid-range are your safest bet. You now know what the job is worth, and have an idea how long it should take, so pick the company that most impressed you, and your problem is solved.
There are some exceptions to this procedure. Some items are so unique in their construction that only trained personnel can properly make repairs. Certain products can, under warranty, only be serviced by authorized repair people. Some expensive electronic equipment, watches, and musical instruments can only be serviced at the factory or service centers if you want to maintain a lengthy warranty. This sad state of affairs often means waiting a long time for the item to be shipped, repaired and returned. You have to decide whether the guarantee is worth the wait.
This logical procedure should adequately help you to find a serviceman for any repair job, large or small. There are times when repairs become so costly that replacing the item becomes more viable. A good service person will alert you to such a situation. Of course they are hoping to sell you the replacement, but their initial honesty is proven by the fact they did not commit you to futile costly repairs. So no matter how young or old you may be, or how helpless you feel in such a situation, this short guide should make your quest for repairs much simpler.
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