Getting Things Done
Or, Where in the world are the contractors?
By Grace Corradino

Recently I had to go the paint store. When I go to places like the paint store, I always feel like I have landed on the moon. Inevitably I purchase the wrong thing.

It happened again this time. Our deck furniture had been re-stained and stored last fall. When we brought it out for the season, it looked great. However, the dining table had been left outside all winter because it was too heavy to lift and store and it, too, needed to be re-stained. There was no more stain left from the autumn project and someone needed to go to the paint store to purchase additional paint. I was directed to purchase deck stain, which is what I bought. When we started to paint it on the table, my able assistant remarked that the paint seemed pretty watery and that it was not covering properly. Clearly I had purchased the wrong kind of stain. It seems that I was supposed to purchase “solid” stain.

Not only had I wasted money on the wrong stain, but I had to make another trip to the paint store to get the correct type of stain. I was not happy. In the short run, had I let someone who knew what they were doing take care of this project, it would have been done correctly the first time with no hassle for me.

And so it is with most of the things I ever need done around my house. The good news for me is that I live with someone who knows the difference between a lug wrench and a socket wrench and what they might be used for. If you do not have that capability in house, it is likely that you have had to rely on Fire Island contractors to help you to maintain your Fire Island home and garden. Identifying the good contractors and getting the work done can be daunting. Here are some helpful hints and things you should know about Fire Island contractors.

A great Broadway play is rarely advertised. When a show is failing, all of a sudden it becomes visible. So it is with Fire Island contractors. The best among them do not need to advertise heavily. The new ones do because they are building their businesses. But the established companies, the more professional builders, electricians, plumbers and landscapers spend very little on promotion. Why? Because everyone already knows who they are. If you are a new Fire Island home owner and need a contractor, ask your neighbor who they use and why they use them.

Reaching a Fire Island contractor can be frustrating. During the season, the contractor is either out in the field or on the main land purchasing job materials. They can not be on their cell phones talking to you because then the work can not get done. It is important to know when you can meet face to face or communicate either by phone or email. We know of a number of contractors who simply could not cope with the deluge of work which hits during the summer. They had to bail out. One had a complete break down, leaving a trail of unhappy homeowners in their wake. Find out how your contractor likes to communicate. Can they be reached by phone, fax or email?

All manner of gossip races through this Island. No information moves faster than information about customers who do not pay their bills. Disputed work is a different matter. When work is satisfactory and it is completed and you want to continue to get your work done, you need to pay your bills in a timely fashion.

Plan ahead for the work which needs to be done. We had one customer who made their biannual excursion to Fire Island to check on their Fire Island rental property. They own a wonderful old cottage in Fair Harbor that has original 1940’s double hung windows throughout. Many of the panes of glass are cracked and need to be replaced. Their visit took place on Memorial Day weekend with their first tenants due in June. What is the likelihood of finding a contractor who will be able to get those windows repaired this season? Zero. The best thing for them to do is to arrange with a contractor now for the repair work to be done in the fall.

Good luck with all that. I will not see you in the paint store any time soon.

Grace Corradino lives year round in Saltaire. She owns Fire Island Living Real Estate and welcomes your questions about your island home and garden. She can be reached at:

Grace@FireIslandLiving.com.