Need a Contractor? Take a Number
If you’re a Twin Cities homeowner trying to remodel a Bath, re-paint the Amusement Room, or even deal with a plumbing emergency, you doubtless already know: local contractors are in scarce supply.
So, which trade/specialty has the longest backlog right now?
My nominee is radon remediation contractors.
Thanks to beefed-up Minnesota disclosure requirements, home sellers must now include a mandatory section on radon.
Result: practically all Buyers now test for it, as part of their home inspection.
“Seek & Ye Shall Find”
If the radon number trips 4.0 picoliters per million parts, someone — Buyer or Seller — has to remediate.
Sometimes, the Seller will tackle it.
However, just as (or more) often, the Buyer will agree to do it — in exchange for a reduced selling price — after closing.
That way, the Buyer can select and pay the contractor (no need for a lien waiver), be the named party on the warranty, etc.
With closings hitting a seasonal peak right now . . . so are post-closing radon fixes.
P.S.: One popular radon contractor I know isn’t taking on new work till Fall!
