Intro / Advice

[lolanjoe]

Hi everyone! I'm an old transplant from the Nest who disappeared for a couple years before finding these boards again. Some of you may have seen my post on MM a while ago about inheriting via quitclaim DH's grandmother's home where he primarily grew up. We're taking possession of the house in May, but we're staying there over Christmas (BIL still lives there but will be moving out). I'm sure I'll be asking you guys for tons of advice, and I'm thinking of putting up a side blog for pics -- the house needs a LOT of work, it was built for DH's grandfather when he came back from the war in 1953 and has had almost no work done to it since. The house is in the Milwaukee area and we live in Virginia now, so I'll be making trips back and forth next year.

We're meeting with a few contractors over Christmas, since this will be DH's last chance to see the property before we move this time next year (he is in an accelerated program here in VA for his second career and will not have time off after this until graduation).

Any tips for meeting with the contractors? Work wouldn't start until after we take possession of the house, and I won't be able to be there every day or even every week to monitor their work. USAA has a contractor program which would help solve this problem, but I'm not sure if we'll be going though their recommended contractor or not. I'm hoping BIL will have the house looking presentable, but there's no guarantee, and we meet with the first contractor the morning after we get into town pretty late at night. I've made a list of projects for the house along with a rough sketch of what we'd like for the basement, which needs to be finished.

TIA!

[kaylie]

Invest in an Angie's List subscription (google for a coupon code - they always have one). IMO you will avoid a lot of frustration this way.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Welcome!!!

[lolanjoe]

I had heard Angie's List wasn't so great because it didn't have a lot of reviews - I wish I could preview it! I looked on Yelp, and emailed several places that didn't email me back. My MIL has had nothing but contractors she wouldn't recommend work on her properties, and she hasn't had luck with finding reviews on Angie's List either.

[floridakat]

I have had great success with Angie's List, but I suppose it could vary by market. Welcome!

[lolanjoe]

We're planning to have the vast majority of the work done before we move in, especially the fence (we have three dogs), kitchen, and bathroom. The basement doesn't necessarily have to be finished, though it'd be nice! I'd like to get the new floors but in the master bedroom before we move, too.