5 Ways To Find New Contractors In 2020
Finding new contractors is an ongoing challenge for property managers. Unfortunately, this challenge is likely to persist in 2020 because of a lack of people entering the trades and the continued growth of new construction projects. As a result, property managers need resources to find new contractors. To help combat these challenges, Property Manager Insider put together 5 ways to find new contractors in 2020.
Contractor Trade Associations
While many property managers belong to real estate industry associations, very few are familiar with contractor associations. Even though it does not make sense to join these associations, it does not mean they aren’t valuable to property managers. This is because many offer searchable member directories. Property managers can use these free directories to find contractors.
These associations exist for all major trades. Here’s a few examples of contractor associations that property managers can use to find new contractors.
- National Roofing Contractor Association
- American Fence Association
- Painting Contractor Association
- National Association of Elevator Contractors
- Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association
The best part about these associations is their directories are typically public facing, so any property manager can use them to find local contractors. If the national association websites do not have a great directory, property managers can also search the local and state chapters for contractors.
Property Manager Insider’s BidSource
BidSource is a free tool created by Property Manager Insider to help managers source new vendors. It is simple and easy to use. First, property managers tell our team about their project. Next our team reviews our database of registered contractors. Finally, we match property managers one to one with a qualified vendor. BidSource includes all types of contractors and our network covers all 50 states.
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Facebook Group Recommendations
Believe it or not, Facebook is a serious resource for finding new contractors. This is because Facebook Groups offer a great opportunity to ask other property managers for recommendations. One reason this works so well is because of the scale and reach of a Facebook Group post. Rather than asking a few colleagues, property managers can make one Facebook Group post that effectively asks thousands of fellow property managers to recommend a contractor. This step by step guide provides clear instructions on using Facebook Groups to find commercial contractors.
Commercial Google Searches
While property managers have many resources to find new contractors, many often skip searching the internet. Often, this is a mistake. Searching Google is a great way to find new contractors, especially if property managers use highly commercial keywords. For example, rather than searching “roof repair” try searching “commercial office building TPO roof repair“. Using commercialized keywords will return better search results.
There are two other advantages of searching for contractors on Google. First, the search results typically include reviews. This is helpful because property managers can quickly scan them and determine if a contractor is worth contacting. Second, it is incredibly easy to search on Google any time any place. This makes Google a great option to find new contractors in a pinch.
Industry Networking Events
Even though networking events have been around for decades, they are still a viable channel for property managers to find new contractors. In 2020 they present a great opportunity because many new contracting companies have formed as a result of the growing US economy. As these new contracting businesses continue to grow, they are joining property management associations to expand their commercial sales. Consequently, property managers can attend industry networking events where they are likely to meet new contractors.
Find Contractors Using BidSource
Use BidSource to have the Property Manager Insider team connect you with a local contractor for your next project or service. All of our contractors have capacity and experience working with property managers. Just fill out the form below with you project details and we will do the rest.
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