How did you find your contractor for your 1st Flip?

[Marlon Long]

I am looking for a contractor in Philadelphia for a few fix and flip deals I want to put a bid on. How have you guys gone about locating good contractors? any tips or tricks to locating and interviewing contractors in your areas?

Regards,
Marlon Long

[Andrew Kerr]

@Marlon Long - through networking at my local REIA is where I found a lot of my contractors in NC. I would ask who they use for subs. Another way I found a great roofing sub was from the more main stream roofing company I used on a couple jobs. I noticed on three different roofing jobs, the same subs keep showing up for this roofing company. Each time I talked to the sub, and then finally I asked if he did any of his own business. Turns out the sub had his own crew, had an LLC, and was licensed and bonded. I went from paying $4,000 to $4,500 for a roof to $3,000 to $3,200 a roof for a group of these mutli family properties I owed.

Early on I used the Lowe's preferred contractor for installing stock cabinets in two units at a quad. Same thing here, I talked to the folks doing the install. I just used them going forward and worked with them directly. I would have lowes deliver the stock cabinets to the job site, and the cabinet crew would show up separately. Saved a ton of money.

I just did a buy & hold deal here in New Orleans, but it was a full gut and restoration. The GC I used was referred to by a friend that was an architect. My friend had done several jobs with this GC and even used him for work on his own home.  

There are a lot of ways to find good contractors and subs. Good luck!