EAST NOTTINGHAM -- Five years in the residential real estate and mortgage industry let Yolanda Kennedy in on a little secret: Finding competent home contractors can be problematic.

It is not that they aren't around, it is just a matter of finding them and sorting them out.

 
In January, Kennedy and her husband, Bernard, decided to answer the need and launched the Home Improvement Referral Service LLC, a company that hooks up homeowners with reliable contractors.

Kennedy knew of a similar company, Home Remedy, in New York. She contacted the owner for advice before setting up shop in her home office in East Nottingham.

The mother of two sons, ages 14 and 18, said she tried all sorts of catchy and trendy names for the company but it was her boys who said, "Mom, that doesn't tell us a thing." That's when Kennedy decided to name the business for what the company does, home improvement referrals.

The 35-year-old Kennedy used the same philosophy with her Web site -- www.hireferralservice.com.

"I wanted to use the name but I didn't want people typing five or 10 minutes," she said.

So far, Kennedy has 20 contractors on board, including plumbing, electrical, tree service, general contractors, carpenters and roofers.

"No landscaper yet, we're looking at three," Kennedy said. "It's nice at this point, we can be a little picky."

Kennedy started her search for contractors with some of the ones she met over the years while she was in real estate. From there she went to references the first set of contractors provided.

To sign on with Kennedy, each contractor must have been in business for five years, have insurance and provide five references -- three of which have to be the three most recent jobs they did. Kennedy also does a Better Business Bureau and Consumer Affairs check to see if there are any outstanding problems.

Contractors do not pay a fee to be in the referral system. Instead, contractors pay a commission to Kennedy on work they get through the referral service.

"They don't pay anything unless they work," Kennedy said.

Homeowners pay contractors directly, Kennedy does not deal with the money. No homeowner is obligated to hire a contractor Kennedy recommends, she said.

The service is free to homeowners and available in Chester, Lancaster, Delaware and Montgomery counties and New Castle County, Del.

Homeowners contact Kennedy either by phone or e-mail through the Web site.

Once Kennedy establishes where the homeowner lives, what type of contractor they need and the price range they prefer, she contacts the appropriate contractor and sets up an appointment for the contractor with the homeowner.

Kennedy makes follow-up calls to the homeowner to see how the appointment went, calls during the work process and after it is completed. If there are issues where the homeowner is not satisfied with the work, Kennedy is the go-to person.

Since each contractor must guarantee their work, Kennedy will send them back if the homeowner is not satisfied.

Home Improvement Referral Service has not been a large capital investment, according to Kennedy. She already had the home office in place from her career in real estate. The expense came with the Yellow Pages advertisement and the state incorporation process.

Kennedy left the real estate business, where she was licensed in Pennsylvania and Delaware, because of the schedule it demanded, specifically weekends. Real estate agents have to be available when clients want to shop for houses and that can be tough on a marriage, she explained.

"My husband works for United Parcel Service and when he got home from work Friday, that's when I'd shoot out the door," Kennedy said