Home Repairs – When a house is in the middle of a transaction, does the Seller need to utilize licensed, bonded contractors to effect repairs that have been agreed upon? Yes! (Gold Star : ) Why? Well… there are several reasons- 1) It’s Oregon State Law when you’re in the middle of a real estate transaction. 2) It may state so in the Addendum you all signed (I always put it in there to make sure everyone is clear) or it is embedded in the current OREF Buyers Repair Addendum. 3) It just makes sense… for the Buyer and the Seller. Why? Well:
* Buyers: Licensed, bonded contractors typically know what they’re doing. We assume that’s how they got licensed and bonded. True, you can have someone who is not licensed and bonded do minor repairs in theory, and maybe come out OK, but what if someone, say, believes that really “pressure-washing” a roof is how to get moss off (too much pressure will, I’m told, wash the crystals off the roof tiles that actually cause them to be effective…), or thinks it’s OK to pour concrete directly up against the wood structure or siding of the house (it’s not OK: How Not To ) or thinks they know enough to do the “minor” wiring called for in the Addendum ummm…(safety first… common sense…).
So. if you’re the Buyer, and work was done that you realize was not done well AFTER you’ve already moved in (This is not good, by the way…you should always do a walk-through prior to close. But occasionally unsafe or shoddy work will not be noticeable till later), you can at least call the contractor up and address that with them and have a leg to stand on if they are licensed and bonded.
* Sellers: In light of what I mention above, wouldn’t you rather have had a licensed, bonded contractor perform repairs on your transaction? Its not about relinquishing responsibility for making sure repairs are done properly, but rather about making sure the contractors you choose can actually back it up, and take responsibility themselves for the work they’ve done.
Lake Oswego Real Estate Blog