My Dad, Uncles & FIL were in the trades. We have done well over the years getting help. I also have a friend that does commercial HVAC. (2 years ago the blower motor on my furnace goes out at 2:30PM on the hottest day of the year so no A/C. I text my friend that gets off at 3:30 everyday. He meets me at my place. He figures out it is the motor. We run down and buy a new motor at his parts guy. Back up and running by 5:30. He needed an ice maker for his frig and I happily go him one at my work. No charge for the labor.)
You just have to know people. I also have had luck with firemen that do things on the side. Know one that paints which is great because I hate painting.
Plus side jobs are so much cheaper. Sometimes it is just a case of beer.
We did do a master bath remodel this Summer, but my wife found a contractor from a work friend. We had to wait a little, but we are patient in our old age.
Ha, that works if you do. But many of us really don’t know anybody in the trades, especially those of us with office jobs who did not grow up in the area.
I am interested to learn more about how a young person can find a route into tradesman career path. I know a young man who has worked at ACE hardware store a few years since high school. His parents say he’s not that interested in college but is unsure where to start investigation of other paths.
My problem is I want to put the house on the market by May June. If someone is not interested in the job I wish they’d just say instead of leaving us hanging.
My husband owns a construction firm. If the young man is possibly interested in a construction trade, he could begin by getting an entry level job on a construction site (which is usually being someone’s assistant and or being a laborer, doing odd jobs, site clean-up, etc. It’s not glamorous in the beginning, but it helps them become accustomed to how things work on a construction site).
Someone with aptitude and enthusiasm, who shows up on time and works hard could easily make connections with a variety of trades that come and go from the site (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and possibly the most-needed trade right now - trim carpenters.) Or they can work their way up to assistant project manager and then to project manager. Many national builders and construction companies also have in-house training programs.