How to Get the Best Job out of Repair and Renovation Workers

If you have just finished setting up your first Airbnb, you will likely already have run into several issues requiring the help of specialists: Maybe you had to replace the carpet with new flooring downstairs. Maybe you had to get blinds installed. Maybe you had to get the kitchen cabinets painted – whatever it was you had to do, you will either have had a good or bad experience. Here is what you do if it was bad: Analyze what you (not the company performing the job) could have done better during the renovation or repair process: Did you clearly communicate what you needed to be done, in what timeframe, and in which manner? Did you frequently stop by and oversee the work? Were you available at all times to answer quick questions from the people on the job? In my experience, the latter will impact the quality of the job, and here is why: Workers and contractors are on the clock, and if they can’t reach you the second a decision has to be made, they will not wait until you call them back, but instead decide on their own. You might end up with the wrong pattern or the wrong metal trim for your backsplash tile.

One time, I had the painter notice early on that the gray paint I had chosen had a purplish tint to it and clashed with the new flooring we had just installed downstairs. It looked hideous. I was in a sales meeting and didn’t return his call until 3 hours (and thus several walls) later. I drove over to the house and agreed the paint job had to be redone. I lost about $800 because I was not available when they needed me. Another time, the tile setter realized we had not specified the color of the Schlueter trim (the metal trim around the tile) when ordering all the materials. He texted me, but I didn’t call him until he had already started gluing down the trim he just bought. It was a hideous copper color that clashed with everything else that was satin nickel in that bathroom. He was not happy when he had to remove that trim and buy a different one. I learned that you always have the phone number of the people on the job in your phone, so that you don’t deny the call thinking it’s a telemarketer. I learned you never, ever go on vacation when you have any work done at your property. Lastly, I learned that when you show up unannounced at the job site, there are miraculously always at least 5 things that come up that they didn’t feel were big enough to call you about, but you are very happy you caught before they were done or omitted – such as the way the floor tiles get put down in the corner, how the line where the ceiling meets the wall gets painted, or whether the new ceiling texture where the light box was removed matches the existing one well enough. Show up at your job sites, even if there are no questions! Show up and show you care! The workers appreciate it if you do, especially if you say something nice about their progress or the quality of their work.

How to Save Money on Your Repair or Renovation Projects

Here is the bad news: the very first time you repair or renovate a house, you will be paying more than necessary. This is because you have no experience and no established relationships – yet. Case in point: I bought the new flooring for my first property from a local flooring discounter. They said they would also install the floor – I was excited since I had just moved to Boise from San Jose and didn’t know anyone. They charged me $5/sqft for installing that new floor. On day 2, I struck up a conversation with the guy doing the work. Turns out he owns his own business (primarily installing hardwood flooring) and was only working for the discounter to fill a gap in this job pipeline. He explained to me that the floor I had chosen was suboptimal because it must be glued down. Therefore, you cannot just remove one plank if there is damage. Fast forward to 2025: Lance has installed new flooring at two of my other houses for $2.50/sqft using high-quality material that is floating instead of glued. The floor at my first house already has lots of nicks and dents we can’t do anything about. The other two are hospital-grade floors that are virtually indestructible. They cannot be scratched. They still look brand new 5 years later.

Here is the good news: I have similar stories for the tile setter, the granite installation guy, the painter…the list goes on. I became friends with every single person who worked on my first house, and now I have them on speed dial in my phone, and we cut out the middleman. I hire them directly, which saves thousands of dollars on larger projects. I just got a quote from a local flooring specialist for new flooring throughout the entire house; the material was quoted at $7.60/sqft, and the installation at $6/sqft. In addition to that, there were various charges for removing the old carpet, dumping the old carpet, etc. The total came out to a little over $17K. I got the quote just as a safety precaution and to measure if my trusted flooring guy, Lance, was still as honest as he had always been with me. Sure enough, he told me to go to a factory-direct, hole-in-the-wall flooring place that sold me the identical floor for $3.50/sqft that the other company had quoted at $7.60/sqft. I bought the floor for a total of $4K and paid for it with my credit card, i.e. Lance did not mark up the floor one cent. He then sent me a quote for the installation, which came out to be $6.2K. So instead of $17.1K, my total investment will be $10.2K, and I will likely get a better job on the installation from him than I would have gotten from the local store. Lance gets all his business from repeat customers and by referral – he is very incentivized to do a stellar job for me.

How to Find the Best Repair and Renovation Workers for Your Airbnb

Hint: It’s not by googling ‘plumber’ or ‘painter.’ If you must go that route, be sure to read as many reviews as you can – on Yelp, Google, and the BBB (Better Business Bureau). I have paid my dues when it comes to hiring bad people off the internet – sometimes you have no choice, especially when you’re new to the area and it’s your first time needing a particular trade. The big question on your mind right now is probably “How can I even tell a bad one from a good one – I am not an expert in plumbing or painting or HVAC stuff…” Here is how you can find out quickly who you are dealing with: 1) Ask questions. Pretend you want to become an expert in painting, plumbing, or drywall. The ones who aren’t interested in their job, or doing a good job, or developing a rapport with you (because they already know you’ll never hire them again), will give you a glazed-over, bored, or irritated look. You are disrupting their mojo by asking them a question. They want to be left alone, and they really don’t want to deal with you. If you encounter one of those people, run! You will never get good work out of this person, no matter how friendly you are. If you show genuine interest in painting techniques, or how your plumber is fixing your toilet, or what is wrong with your AC unit, you will see right away who should earn your business and who shouldn’t. The ones who educate you, explain things to you, and are smiling while doing it, are the ones who are interested in building a relationship with you. They care about their job and likely even take pride in it.

For years, I had a plumber who I would text a photo to and a brief description of the issue, and he would respond within minutes saying, ‘Go to Lowe’s and get a new flush valve’, or ‘do you have one of those clown-hammer plungers? Use that…I mean, I could drive over and charge you $90, but that’s exactly what I’m going to be using.’ He recently retired, but I know he saved me hundreds of dollars over the years. In those instances when I needed a plumber, he got my business with 100% certainty, of course. I encourage you to be curious, to ask questions, and to be invested in the outcome of your projects. If you don’t care, why would the guy doing the job care? 2) Ask for referrals. Once you have identified ONE good tradesperson – whether that’s a plumber, an electrician, or an HVAC guy – ask who they use for their own house. There is a clear correlation between people doing a good job and people knowing others who do a good job in their line of work. Lance – my flooring guy, whom I have now known for six years – has sent me a drywall contractor, an electrician, and a granite installer. When a new hardwood floor is installed, it’s often part of a new construction or a larger renovation project. In either case, there are other trades involved, and they often work alongside each other – they know each other’s quality of work, whether they can
be trusted, and whether they are in it for the long run.

Reach out to us if your Airbnb is in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, or Star, and you’d like us to advise you on your repair and renovation projects before coming on board with Boise Vacation Rentals as your new property manager.