THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603070337
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ROBERT K. TURNBULL, SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Long : 133 lines
One stop shopping places are the latest in consumer trends. A one-stop shopping place for medical care can be found at your nearest HMO while Wal-Mart dominates American retailing with one-stop shopping for household items and other goods.
Now, welcome to the latest one stop shopping concept - home repair. Home Services Alliance, a national chain of service centers, can do it all for your household, from air-conditioning and appliance repair to wallpapering and weather-stripping.
The phone rings and Brian Huffman, the Tidewater area sales manager for HSA, listens carefully as a customer describes the trouble with her toilet. He asks a few questions, takes a few notes and arranges a time for a plumber to come to her home and take a look.
``This is like a doctor's office. We'll help out any person that needs any type of home repair,'' says Huffman. HSA is in fact much like a doctor's office. They take in anyone with a home ailment, bring in (or in this case send out) various specialists to diagnose the problem, give second and third opinions, prescribe a remedy and either bandage the problem or perform minor, and in some cases, major reconstructive surgery.
HSA, established in 1960, is North America's oldest and largest trades referral service. It is a membership-based organization that matches pre-screened, licensed and insured trades professionals with the home-repair needs of customers, or members, and non-members as well.
Non-members are free to call HSA about hiring a contractor but members, who pay annual dues (currently, $48 initially and $20 per year thereafter), receive special deals on some home repairs.
The concept has been successful because many homeowners are timid about contacting contractors they don't know. In an effort to give peace of mind to this market of consumers, HSA takes the frustration and concern out of contracting tradespeople to do home repairs.
We are not selling anything,'' explains Terry Healy, regional manager for HSA. ``We are asking the customer to allow us the opportunity to bid on their business. To show them, personally, that something as boring and horrible as getting their dryer fixed can be an enjoyable experience by calling us and letting us take care of the details for them.''
Healy goes on to say, ``There have been so many scams and rip-offs in this industry. We're trying to build the confidence and integrity of this business so people don't have to get ripped off.''
HSA substantiates and backs up the work of its contractors. ``We investigate every contractor that signs on with us to make sure they are stable and able,'' says Healy.
Tiger Daye of Lindale Construction, a literal ``jack'' of just about every trade and one of HSA's home repair go-to contractors, explains his initial contact with HSA.
``They sent me a manila folder with the typical job applications, reference sheet, an inquiry of criminal history and a lot of instructions as to what they were looking for and how they wanted the customer treated. . . they covered all the bases.''
When asked how he became affiliated with HSA, Daye recalls that he was looking for a way to increase his business. ``The same day I was talking to my wife about it, I opened the paper up, and HSA had a listing for contractors. So I contacted them and it's been great ever since.''
When Corky and Terry Haisten, residents of Virginia Beach, called HSA for a roof repair estimate, HSA called Daye. ``HSA called us to confirm the time they were going to have someone out to look at our roof,'' recounts Terry. ``Then Tiger called to confirm what time he would be there, so it was never up in the air. It was always professional and on time.''
``One of the things that appeals to us,'' says Corky Haisten, ``is that HSA stands behind their contractors so that if for whatever reason the contractor is unable to complete a job to your satisfaction, then HSA will step in and get it done.
``We used an independent contractor to do some ornamental brick work just after we put our pool in. He got about half way through the job and disappeared. So here I sat with half of a serpentine wall, and I had to go out on my own and find someone to finish the job.''
Initially, the Haistens called HSA for a roof estimate and repair. Daye was able to patch the roof through winter time, but it became evidently clear that it was time for a new roof. ``Tiger actually put up part of the roof to let us see what it was going to look like, and it was only then that we decided to go ahead and finish it,'' explains Terry Haisten.
``Tiger showed us where our money was going. We saw the receipts, and he kept us informed at all times how the job was progressing.''
The Haistens decided to have their home re-roofed with cedar shingles. They were so pleased with the results and the price, they decided to enclose their patio with windows.
But it didn't stop there. As Daye and HSA have a great deal of resources and connections, the Haistens decided to pressure-wash and stain their fence, air-condition the newly-enclosed patio, repair a broken window, repair their pool bulk-head, build a deck, add a separate deck for a Jacuzzi, re-wire the house to provide power to the new decks, roof the Jacuzzi deck with copper, add a bay window to their home and finish landscaping their backyard.
``Our income is driven from the contractors side of the business,'' says Healy. ``Based on the trade and the job size, we generate a fee to the contractor that he or she pays us off the job. Our contractors are not the cheapest, but they're also not the most expensive. They are the best and most reliable in their field of expertise.''
Because HSA is a membership-based business, they offer many amenities to those who wish to join. Members may use a 24-hour emergency service, a one-call responsive service for any household need, seasonal specials with coupons mailed to the home and follow-up service on all completed work.
HSA has 50 offices nationwide and has plans for expansion. According to Healy, there will be an HSA office in every major city by 1997. Healy oversees offices in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. Also, memberships are transferable to any city that has an HSA office.
Most recently, HSA has begun a new service called Handicap Install. Geared primarily to the handicapped and elderly, this service will install ramps for wheelchairs, widen doorways and basically create a barrier free environment as well as install handicapped tubs, wash basins, grab-bars, etc.
HSA is working with the Family Care Network out of Portsmouth to increase the services family care can provide.
``In a nutshell, what we are bringing to this industry is a level of credibility that was not there before,'' Healy says. ``We have to make sure the customer is satisfied, that's our whole business.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
LOOKING FOR A REPAIRMAN?
GARY C. KNAPP
Terry Healy
Brian Huffman
Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
Terry Healy, regional manager of Home Services Alliance; Chrissy
Moran, customer service manager, and Brian Huffman, sales manager.
by CNB