Building a vendor network that holds up under pressure
Property management is not a solo operation. Every maintenance request you receive is actually a question about whether someone on your vendor list will pick up the phone. When your plumber is unavailable, your HVAC contractor is booked solid, and your backup cleaner moved away — that's not bad luck. That's a vendor bench that was never actually built.
Define what you need before you start sourcing
Most managers source vendors reactively: something breaks, they search, they find someone, and they hope it works out. A vendor bench starts from a different direction. List every trade you expect to call in a given year — plumbing, HVAC, electrical, appliance repair, locksmith, roofing, painting, cleaning, landscaping, pest control — and count how many of your units could need each one at the same time. That tells you how many qualified vendors you need for each category.
- For routine maintenance trades (plumbing, HVAC, electrical), aim for at least two vetted options.
- For high-frequency work (cleaning, painting), you may need three or four given demand spikes during turnover season.
- For specialty work (roofing, structural), one established relationship is often sufficient if they're reliable.
Vet before you need them, not while you need them
Vetting a vendor under pressure leads to shortcuts. Do it in advance. A proper qualification process includes verifying their license and insurance, talking to references who are property managers (not homeowners), running a small test job before any emergency, and confirming their actual service area and capacity. A contractor who quotes well but can't handle more than two jobs a week is a liability if you have a dozen active properties.
Keep credentials current — this is ongoing, not a one-time check
Insurance lapses. Licenses expire. A vendor who was compliant when you onboarded them may not be compliant today. A vendor management gap that is commonly overlooked is treating onboarding verification as the end of the compliance process. It isn't. Set a calendar reminder — or let your software track it — to re-verify insurance certificates annually for every active vendor.
Maintain relationships through low seasons
The vendors who show up reliably at 9 p.m. on a Friday are the ones you've paid on time, communicated clearly with, and given steady work. They are not interchangeable commodities. A vendor who feels valued by you will prioritize your calls. A vendor you only contact in emergencies will treat you accordingly. Batch your work to give reliable vendors consistent volume. Give clear scopes and prompt payment. Say thank you.
Centralize the information so it outlives you
If your vendor list lives in one person's phone, your operation is fragile. Every vendor contact, their license number, their insurance expiry, their specialty, their rate, and any notes from past jobs should live in a shared, searchable place. When you hire a new property manager or go on vacation, the information transfers with the role — not with the person.
How many vendors do I need for a 50-unit portfolio?
At minimum: two plumbers, two HVAC technicians, two electricians, three to four cleaners (turnover demand spikes), two painters, and one each for locksmith, appliance repair, pest control, and roofing. The right number depends on your property types and how concentrated your portfolio is geographically.
What insurance should I require from vendors?
At minimum: commercial general liability and workers' compensation coverage. For specialty trades, verify the appropriate trade license as well. The minimum coverage amounts vary by province and trade — ask your own insurance broker what they recommend for vendors working on properties you manage.
Should I use vendor management platforms or a spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet works at low volume but breaks down once you're managing credential renewals and work history across dozens of vendors and multiple properties. Property management software that includes a vendor directory — with history attached to each work order — is significantly more reliable at scale.
What's the best way to test a new vendor before relying on them?
Give them a small, low-urgency job first: a minor repair, a routine cleaning, or a unit inspection. Evaluate punctuality, communication, quality of work, and whether the invoice matched the quote. One test job tells you more than any reference call.
What do I do when my only vendor for a trade is unavailable?
Short term: call your property management peers — most are willing to share a vendor contact in a genuine emergency. Long term: treat this as a signal that your bench is too thin for that trade and add a second qualified vendor before it happens again.
Manage vendors and work orders in one place
Kera keeps your vendor contacts, credentials, and job history attached to your properties — not scattered across inboxes.
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