🏠 House, Trades & Contractors — who do I call?
Fallen trees, gutters, chimneys, cracks — plus scam quotes, trade refusals and landlord disputes.
This is the category for when no single trade owns the problem: a scam quote, a contractor who vanished with a deposit, a landlord who won't fix the heat, a crack you can't tell is cosmetic or structural. The through-line is the order of operations — who diagnoses before who repairs, and how to check a contractor's license and bond before any money moves.
Pick your exact situation:
- A Tree Fell on My House — Who Do I Call?
If any power line is involved, call 911 and the utility first and keep everyone back — assume every downed wir…
- Chimney Leaking — Sweep, Mason, or Roofer? (It's Usually the Flashing)
Call a roofer first: water around a chimney is failed flashing until proven otherwise — the metal seam where c…
- Every Trade Says It's Not Their Job — Who Actually Does This?
Trades refuse jobs at the seams between licenses, and each refusal has a real 'yes' behind it: dead animals → …
- Gutters Overflowing — Roofer, Gutter Company, or Handyman?
Call a gutter company, not a roofer: overflowing gutters are a cleaning problem until they're a water problem …
- How to Vet an Emergency Contractor in 5 Minutes
Five checks, five minutes, before any money moves: license status on your state's contractor board (complaint …
- Is This Quote a Scam? Real Price Ranges for 12 Common Home Emergencies
Rules of thumb before you say yes at 2am: a lockout should stay under ~$425 even after hours; a standard tank …
- Landlord Won't Fix the Heat, Mold, or Leak — Who Do I Call?
Start in writing, then call city code enforcement: a dated repair notice to the landlord first — the paper tra…
- Roofer Knocking After the Storm — Scam or Legit? (Mostly Scam)
Nobody legitimate knocks on your door after a storm selling a roof. The playbook: free inspection, 'found' dam…
- Sewage Backing Up Into My House — Who Do I Call?
Call your city or utility sewer department first — if the blockage is in the public main, they clear it at no …
- Soft Spot in the Floor or Mold in the Crawlspace — Who Do I Call?
Call a plumber or drainage pro to kill the water source first — a soft floor means something under it is wet o…
- The Contractor Took My Money and Vanished — What Now?
If you paid by credit card, the clock is the first thing to check: federal rules give you 60 days from the sta…
- There's a Weird Smell in My House and I Can't Identify It
Rotten eggs or sulfur means gas: leave now, touch nothing electrical, and call 911 or your gas utility from ou…
- Wall Cracks, Settling, or Sagging — Structural Engineer or Contractor?
Rule one: for anything possibly structural, the structural engineer comes before the contractor — $300–$600 bu…
- What Is This Part of My House Called — and Who Fixes It?
You can't search for a repair when you can't name the part. Find yours by location: the board behind the gutte…
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