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I worked from home today so I could be here for some work on my well. I needed new check valves (air in the water lines) and to do all that work, it was also time to replace my 14-year old pump that only lasts about 15 years. The two guys who did most of the work – Freddie and Mike – were like Click and Clack of PBS’ Car Talk fame. I swear they were laughing and cutting up the entire time – and these are guys who have worked together for 30 years. It was clear they like their work. They were super-friendly to me and answered my questions and when they knew I was interested in how my well works, they explained other things and said, “Come look down here” and then they interrupted what they were doing to shine a flashlight down the hole so I could see. It was a thing of beauty to watch the two of them; there is a rhythm to removing a well pipe and you could tell they’d worked together forever. I stayed with them the entire time because I was having such a good time laughing too.
I have been very lucky with contractors. But it’s not entirely luck. I have a strategy for finding good contractors and I’m going to share my tips with you:
I’m sure it’s not foolproof, but it’s working for me. Another thing I’ve done is called a realtor I know. Realtors tend to know contractors too because they are around homeowners who need to get work done to sell their homes. Found my radon contractor that way.
Let me close by circling back to my well work. Don’t envy people with wells because they have no water bill. We pay for water too, just all at once every 15 years. My new rigging cost $3,300. I actually did open a hole in the ground and poured my money into it!
I have been very lucky with contractors. But it’s not entirely luck. I have a strategy for finding good contractors and I’m going to share my tips with you:
- This one is obvious…don’t just pick a contractor by price! I give other considerations more weight. My biggest judgment is frankly, my gut – my instincts about the person.
- Chose small, local contractors. First of all, I want to support tradesmen in ‘my neighborhood’ and secondly, they usually do the work themselves, or with a team. What you hire is what you get on site. They care a bit more about their work because it’s their business and their reputation.
- Once you find one good one, he becomes your best lead to others. I hired a roofer based on instinct (and his abs) and from him I got a landscaper and a painter. Loved them too. One of my watershed trustees is a radiant heating contractor. I don’t need that, but he referred me to the well people and the asphalt people.
I’m sure it’s not foolproof, but it’s working for me. Another thing I’ve done is called a realtor I know. Realtors tend to know contractors too because they are around homeowners who need to get work done to sell their homes. Found my radon contractor that way.
Let me close by circling back to my well work. Don’t envy people with wells because they have no water bill. We pay for water too, just all at once every 15 years. My new rigging cost $3,300. I actually did open a hole in the ground and poured my money into it!