4 Reasons Landlords Can't Get Contractors (And 1 Brilliant Solution)

You can join the fight with other landlords to find a talented, skilled contractor for your rental home renovation – or turn to the property manager who has just the team you’re looking for.

If you haven’t noticed, America is in the midst of a contractor shortage. CNN – based on data from Associated Builders and Contractors – reports that we need 430,000 contractors right now,  and more than a million more over the next two years.   

If you’re a homeowner who needs to initiate some repairs or renovations on your rental property before you put it on the market – be they minor and cosmetic or more significant – you’ll immediately recognize the extent of the problem. 

This is why Belong has a 10,000+ strong team of vetted professionals in our extensive vendor network. Homeowners on the Belong network get access to these qualified tradespeople at the touch of a button. Simply log a request with your 24/7 Concierge team and we'll handle the rest.

Not convinced? Here's four reasons why landlords are struggling to find contractors.

Reasons Landlords Struggle to Find Contractors #1:  The Housing and Renovation Boom

CNN describes the macro environment perfectly, writing, “New home construction and improvements are surging, thanks to the lack of inventory in a red-hot housing market and more people working from home.”

It makes sense that if talented, reliable contractors can get hired for predictable, long-term work in the new-housing market, they won’t be very interested in taking on episodic rental renovations.

Also, consider how much time they waste on following up and bidding on leads from places like Home Advisor and Angi. No wonder they would prefer to skip this market completely, making it incredibly challenging for homeowners to get renovation help.

Reasons Landlords Struggle to Find Contractors #2: Older Rental Houses Need More Work

The median age of a house in California is 45 years. In Los Angeles, it is 57. Homes of this vintage need work, especially when they are entering the rental market after being lived in for a long time by homeowners who were perfectly happy to have a drippy faucet in their bathroom. Belong sees this phenomenon all the time.

The result: even more demands on the limited number of contractors available.

Reasons Landlords Struggle to Find Contractors #3: People are quitting right and left

You may have heard of the “Great Resignation" that has taken place over the past few years. As National Public Radio reports, “millions of workers are saying ‘I quit.’” There are converging reasons for this, including what Paul Krugman recently wrote in the New York Times: “What seems to be happening ... is that the pandemic led many U.S. workers to rethink their lives…”

This is understandable. People want to live more mindfully and derive meaningful satisfaction from their work. That’s why Belong strives to create working environments for their professional partners that honor a job well done.

Reasons Landlords Struggle to Find Contractors #4: Licensing Requirements are Stiff

It's not easy to become a plumber, or an electrician, or a drywall installer. For example, “To get a C-9 Drywall Contractors License in California, you must prove a minimum of 4 years journeyman level experience. And pass a two-part state exam with the Contractor State License Board.” That's a lot of experience, which means this contractor shortage will be with us for some time, even if a flood of new recruits signed on to learn a trade.

Belong has the contractors every landlord needs

Whether you’re self-managing a rental home or having your home loved by Belong, we make maintenance and repairs one less thing to think about.

Bottom line: If you’ve got the house, Belong has the contractors. From leaky faucets to home renovations, we can put you in touch with the right people that can optimize your home for returns on the rental market.

It's one of the many ways that Belong is simplifying the rental experience and helping more homeowners reach their financial goals through real estate. Visit our homeowner's page to find out more about how our services are helping people to ditch property management in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami and many more.