Not needing anything done just yet but need a quote to turn into home warranty. Parts are not available to fix what I need fixed but the idiot I had come out today wouldn’t even give me a written quote to send in.

I get quotes online from Home Adviser. They use Google Earth for outside quotes. I've used them for stump grinding and steam cleaning. Not sure if you have them in your area. This bump alone might get you more help. My thread got heavily trolled when I posted it on OT.

https://www.homeadvisor.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl4DWh9S-7gIViLzACh2uHQSvEAAYASAAEgK1c_D_BwE

I know what it needs just need to not pay someone another 150 to get a written quote to turn in. Parts are obsolete so it can’t be fixed. Guy told me to look online and if I could find the parts he would install them but he wasn’t going to look for them himself.

I guess the guy who failed to give a quote did so because he couldn't fix your item, as it needed parts he deemed to be no longer available...it's hard to quote a job you can't do...

Its my understanding that Home Advisor uses independent contractors who pay them a commission. Both left me their contact information. The steam cleaner was a Jack of all trades handyman. He also did yard work and house cleaning.

I've also gotten great information on this forum over the years, but I've found that I had to be mores specific. .

My next job, whether or not I personally do it, is to replace all the porch screens on our guest house porch. It’s a lot of screens. And the treated wood trim needs to be replaced also. It will be a lot of work.

I don’t want to do it.

I haven’t yet found anyone that will do it. It’s frustrating.

Good all around handymen must exist somewhere. Heck, it’s a guest house, so I’d even consider letting them stay in the house till the job is finished. Of course, having them take 5 years to do the job might make me think they just needed some place to stay.

I won’t use Home Advisor or anything like that. I want to speak directly with the possible hire.

The hires contacted me before they came out. They showed up early and lef me their contact information, thus bypassing the commission and splitting the difference. Win, win situation. The Home Advisr was more like a messege service. I paid both men with my debit card after the job was done.

After griping, I got off my backside and did some research. Found an outfit in Waco that does what I need, and we set up an appointment. Probably gonna cost me a ton, but I’m Ok with that - to a point.

"Parts are obsolete so it can’t be fixed" that is the quote and should have been wrote down and signed so it could have been presented to the warranty company as not repairable. my nephew in law is a mobile appliance repairman, i'll get a hold of him a little later and see what he says

What part exactly is obsolete? You guys with appliance issues, get model/serial #’s and send me a PM. Researching that stuff is something I’m pretty good at.

Obsolete isn’t always the case. It’s just not made anymore and the factory doesn’t have stock. Lots of other places do have them still.

Contractors with the same knowledge as Bullfrog know it's possible to obtain an "obsolete" part or parts to patch together an old out of date unit - whatever that may be...the contractor made that clear by indicating that if the OP acquired the correct repair parts, he would install them...he did not appear to indicate "it could not be fixed" and made a professional and executive decision not to "write down and sign" something he couldn't declare to absolutely be true when, as Bullfrog indicated, it very possibly would NOT be true...

Did I get it right ?? You asked the 'handyman' to come out, give you a quote to turn in to home warranty, parts are not available, and the guy wasted how many hours of his time and you admit you have no intention of hiring him??? And you are irate that he wont work for you for free ???? What's wrong with people today that they dont want to work for free ???????
I bet if you had offered him $100 cash to pay for his time he would have given you a quote. I call it 'the real world' .

Great points Booskay - the only thing I would say is that contractors offering "free quotes" without conditions do set themselves up for a bit of that...don't know if that's the case here though...

yup, nil asked, is the guy a handyman or a rep for a recognized repair company for home warranty. what is the make, model number, and serial number, what is the problem, and what part is supposed to be bad. he said some other things about repair guys but i won't get into that,,,, yet