Spring Hill FL, Can anyone recommend good workmen? (Tampa: rental, insurance)

[Blue717]

I need to clean up a rental house for new tenants. Does anyone know of a good AND honest, drywaller, plumber, carpet cleaner, maid service, outside junk hauler and grass cuttinbg service??? I picked my own a few times out of the phone book and got taken more than I care to admit. Unfortunately, I'm not local to the house, so I guess they think they can cut corners and still charge premium prices. Any help from experience would be grately appreicated.

[HWTechGuy]

Your best bet would be to join Angie's List.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by Blue717

I need to clean up a rental house for new tenants. Does anyone know of a good AND honest, drywaller, plumber, carpet cleaner, maid service, outside junk hauler and grass cuttinbg service??? I picked my own a few times out of the phone book and got taken more than I care to admit. Unfortunately, I'm not local to the house, so I guess they think they can cut corners and still charge premium prices. Any help from experience would be grately appreicated.

I can easily give you a referral for a GREAT plumber. He is a member of this very forum. ESPLUMBING

Another example of how great the people of Tampa Bay are!

http://www.esplumbingservices.com/

[Dallas Kitty]

Originally Posted by Blue717

I need to clean up a rental house for new tenants. Does anyone know of a good AND honest, drywaller, plumber, carpet cleaner, maid service, outside junk hauler and grass cuttinbg service??? I picked my own a few times out of the phone book and got taken more than I care to admit. Unfortunately, I'm not local to the house, so I guess they think they can cut corners and still charge premium prices. Any help from experience would be grately appreicated.

Originally Posted by HWTechGuy

Your best bet would be to join Angie's List.

I agree that Angie's List is the best place to look. I joined a couple of months ago looking for car repair. The shop I chose charged half the cost the dealership wanted. As for home repair/renovation, I saw something in a flyer recently that concerns me. A banner with bold print "Warning if you hire" caught my attention. It's from the Pinellas County Construction Board. It says that anyone hired for work in the home whether friend, neighbor or relative must be licensed. The county requires testing, $300,000 insurance and hiring a non-licensed person subjects the homeowner to fines up to $5,000.

So I browsed and first thing I saw was this: Tampa-area Contractors face Licensing 'labyrinth' | Angies List. A link from this article provides this: How Angie's List verifies trade licenses | Angies List. Here's a county list of all things requiring licensed contractors and a note that "you may be prosecuted in court for aiding and abetting an unlicensed contractor." Pinellas County, Florida, Consumer Protection - Contracting.

With more browsing I found that the county takes a look at people on Angie's List to make sure they are legit.

[Pragmaticus]

Originally Posted by Dallas Kitty

I agree that Angie's List is the best place to look. I joined a couple of months ago looking for car repair. The shop I chose charged half the cost the dealership wanted. As for home repair/renovation, I saw something in a flyer recently that concerns me. A banner with bold print "Warning if you hire" caught my attention. It's from the Pinellas County Construction Board. It says that anyone hired for work in the home whether friend, neighbor or relative must be licensed. The county requires testing, $300,000 insurance and hiring a non-licensed person subjects the homeowner to fines up to $5,000.

So I browsed and first thing I saw was this: Tampa-area Contractors face Licensing 'labyrinth' | Angies List. A link from this article provides this: How Angie's List verifies trade licenses | Angies List. Here's a county list of all things requiring licensed contractors and a note that "you may be prosecuted in court for aiding and abetting an unlicensed contractor." Pinellas County, Florida, Consumer Protection - Contracting.

With more browsing I found that the county takes a look at people on Angie's List to make sure they are legit.

I understand your point but this licensing crap is getting ridiculous. If one does a major work (major plumbing or wall, etc), I do think that is needed but for God's sake the OP is looking for maid service, carpet cleaner, outside junk hauler and so on. The drywall job that the OP referring is probably some scratches or dents on the wall by the previous renters. A reputable handyman would do all that.

I think people are getting a false sense security and paying big money with all this licensing crap.....

[Dallas Kitty]

Originally Posted by MeInDenudinFL

I understand your point but this licensing crap is getting ridiculous. If one does a major work (major plumbing or wall, etc), I do think that is needed but for God's sake the OP is looking for maid service, carpet cleaner, outside junk hauler and so on. The drywall job that the OP referring is probably some scratches or dents on the wall by the previous renters. A reputable handyman would do all that.

I think people are getting a false sense security and paying big money with all this licensing crap.....

The OP's list has only two things that would concern the county and those are drywall and plumbing. I didn't have a point except to mention that it's apparently a fairly new tenacious pursuit by the county. I'm new to Pinellas County and I've had all my floors redone by handymen. I didn't know about county requirements at the time. I agree a reputable handyman can do a lot of work in the home and that's what I was looking for. But since I saw that flyer it's giving me the heebie jeebies about having more work done.

[Blue717]

Please no fighting..... I have joined Angies list and I thank you for your help. Just for your information..the plumbing job is water leaked behind the wall, so need the plumbing fixed and the drywall replaced. Shoddy work from the builder, which is one of the reasons I want someone reputable! Thanks again!