Simply maintaining a house and the property around it can be a daunting and expensive task. If you’re not too handy yourself, having to hire someone every time something goes wrong can put you back thousands of dollars. If you’re lucky, you might have some friends that work in the field you need help in. Not that they’re not going to charge you, but maybe they’ll give you a discount or a trade. Regardless, it’s always beneficial to know someone who’s reliable and hardworking. If you don’t already have them, here are the 5 friends you might want to make if you’ve got a home to take care of.
Plumber
Sooner or later you’re going to have a busted pipe, broken toilet, faulty sink, or a leaking dishwasher. There’s no chance you stand a chance at finding the problem and fixing it when you have no experience with pipes. Some plumbers are specializing in certain areas like pipe layers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. In order to become a plumber, a person has to go through considerable training, so you know that if they’re licensed or are hired by someone who’s licensed, they can get the job done. Plumbers can be very expensive to hire, so if you know the person doing the work, you can ensure that you’re not being ripped off.
Electrician
Have you ever wanted to install a ceiling fan or re-wire the Internet in your office? If so, that’s not a job you can do alone. People who try to fix or install wiring without the proper knowledge or experience usually end up getting hurt. Electricians might specialize in installing wiring, repairing or replacing electronic equipment when they break, replace circuit breakers, fuses, switches, and other problems to make thins run smoothly again. Electricians can get backed up with work, so knowing one can come in clutch when you have an at-home emergency.
Public Adjuster
If you’ve ever had to file a claim with your insurance company, you would know that the process is lengthy and doesn’t usually end in your favor. Hiring public adjusters is good for having an advocate on your behalf with the insurance agency. They know how to log information regarding your property damage or loss and file it with your insurance company to get the maximum payout. Public adjusters usually require a small percentage of the final settlement, but maybe if your friend owes you, they’ll help you out with little payment necessary.
Landscaper
While it’s not a necessity, keeping your lawn cut is the minimum effort you should put in to keeping your property clean. Some people like to plant flowers and trees, mulch the beds, and even hang bird houses. If you have a lot of land, the grass can be hard to keep up with. Knowing a landscaper is great because at the minimum he or she will at least let you borrow their tools. Maybe they won’t ride their mower all the way over for you, but if you go and pick it up while it’s not being used, you can get a quick lawn cut in.
Painter
It might not happen often, but when you want to re-paint a room, it can be more costly than you assumed. Hiring a professional painter can get up there in price. Even trying to do it yourself can be costly because you need all the equipment like ladders, drop clothes, brushes, and rollers. If you don’t already have any of those things, the equipment can cost more than the actual paint. If you know a painter, you can probably coax them in to letting you borrow their equipment or even help you paint the room in exchange for dinner or some drinks.
