Most landlords have a contractor list, but it's usually a phone contact and a good feeling. The plumber who showed up fast two years ago, the electrician a friend recommended, the handyman who is cheap but occasionally disappears. Not every vendor deserves repeat work, and memory is a poor way to tell which ones do. The information you need is already generated by the work itself: who completed which job, how long it took, and what it cost. This guide covers how to build a shortlist from that record, so reliable vendors get the next job because they earned it. If you want vendor performance tracked automatically, book a demo.
Vendor Management
Not Every Vendor Deserves Repeat Work.
Track who completed what, how fast and at what cost, and build a shortlist from actual performance.
A Scorecard Built From Real Jobs
Ray's Plumbing
Plumbing
Jobs completed14
Avg. time to close2 days
Avg. job cost$240
Keep on shortlist
Bright Spark Electric
Electrical
Jobs completed9
Avg. time to close3 days
Avg. job cost$310
Keep on shortlist
Quick Fix Handyman
General
Jobs completed6
Avg. time to close9 days
Avg. job cost$120
Review before next job
Sample figures shown for illustration only.
What Is Worth Measuring
Did they finish the job?
Jobs assigned compared with jobs actually closed, which shows reliability better than any reference.
How long did it take?
Time from assignment to completion, since a cheap vendor who takes nine days may cost more in lost rent or unhappy tenants.
What did it cost?
Actual job costs over time, which makes it easy to compare vendors in the same trade on equal terms.
Was there proof of the work?
Whether completion photos were attached, as a signal of how thorough a vendor is about closing jobs properly.
Let the Record Pick the Shortlist
When every job is tied to a vendor, the performance data builds up as a side effect of normal work. After a few months you can see who is consistently quick, fairly priced and thorough, and give them first call. The others aren't removed, they simply have to earn their way up the list.
Know Your Best Vendors by the Numbers
HomeInspecto builds each vendor's job history automatically as service orders close.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to rate vendors manually?
No. Jobs completed, time to close and cost come from the service orders themselves, so the basic picture builds without any extra scoring work.
Can I add vendors I already work with?
Yes, existing contractors can be added to your list with their trade and contact details, and their history starts building from their next job.
Can I keep notes on a vendor?
Yes, you can attach notes such as availability, preferred contact method or past issues, so that knowledge lives with the vendor and not in someone's head.
What if a vendor is great but expensive?
Cost is one measure among several. Seeing price next to speed and reliability lets you decide which jobs justify the premium.
Give the Next Job to the Vendor Who Earned It
Build your contractor shortlist from real performance, not from memory.
