Welcome to
 

Find It   in the Poconos

where you can find reliable Pocono contractors, builders, vendors, retailers, services, resorts, local information, family fun and a whole lot more!

If you need it and it's in the Poconos, it's listed here!

The Poconos is growing by leaps and bounds - I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone this.  Monroe county alone greets 5,000 new families every year, and that's second to Pike county.   Where do you find the people, services, stores and supplies that you need?  There are hundreds of little local freebie publications.  There is one major newspaper.  There are at least three different phone books.  There are a few websites that offer 'some' of the information we offer here, and many of those are just camouflage for the advertising. 

This is the only place that everyone can get to, that is here not only every month, but every day and night, and contains so much unbiased, relevant information.  Contractors, services, suppliers and stores in the poconos can all be found right here, in one convenient place.  There is also the 'bonus' of knowing that some of the businesses listed here are deemed reliable by virtue of their supplying three credible references, which I personally verify. They receive a 'gold' listing.  If I personally can verify satisfied customers of a store or supplier, they too will receive what I call, a 'gold' listing.

In hopes of providing you with additional convenience, I also include a separate section called 'Pocono Events', where you will find places of worship, non-profit organizations, government agencies, bingos, resorts, etc., and upcoming and/or ongoing events of interest.

So sit back, relax and click a box below, or go right to our directory,
to enter the one source for all kinds of resources throughout the Poconos.

Free listing - click here!

Throughout this directory you will find listings in a gold background.  This indicates those subscribers who have provided me with three credible references that I have personally verified.  If you have any questions about any of the listings here, please email me with your questions.      Should you desire to confirm a reference yourself, you will have to get in touch with the contractor and ask permission.  If you have any suggestions, I'd like to hear from you so please pass them along via email, thank you.  If you prefer to 'talk', you can call me, leave a message, and I'll call you back.  Gerry @ (570) 619-4060.

We also list other contractors, services, vendors, etc.  who, for whatever reason, have not yet provided us with references.  That is not to say they are any less capable, but to date, no references have been confirmed.  This site will be updated weekly with regards to references.  Once three references have been confirmed, they then will be placed in a gold listing.

From time to time I will provide my personal 'review' of some places, ie; hospitals, stores, attractions, etc.  I not only work in the Poconos, I also live here ;)

The contractors , vendors and services listed here all serve the Pocono Mountains area of Pennsylvania.  For the most part, they are all located within our area.

"Contractor" is a person or company, as used on this site, who provides some service, such as tree removal, building, remodeling, trash removal, etc.

A "supplier" is usually a location (like a store) where one can buy products / materials used in home improvement projects, such as; landscaping materials, lumber,  light fixtures, plumbing parts, and so forth.

A "non-construction purveyor", or "retailer" is either a location or a person/company that deals in products or services other than those things which one would use for home improvement projects.  In some instances, there is an overlap.  Some examples of non-construction purveyors are;  hair salons, restaurants, autos, (regular) trash removal, etc.

The last main category is 'pocono events' which is a catch phrase for everything else.  Under the events listings are;  transportation, local government info, schools, libraries, radio stations, theaters and so on.  Also listed are some 'events' which may be of interest to the general public.  Note!  "events' has been expanded to several pages, events, government info, schools and churches, miscellaneous and family fun.  Also, under our schools and churches page, there is a lot of miscellaneous information worth checking out. 

Now there is a new 'shopping' page, which contains box and discount stores by name, gift shops, jewelry shops, and more specialty type places.

There is also a map page which might help in locating some of the things listed here.

So go to it, I hope you find what you want............  Gerry

P.S.  Pardon me, I almost forgot, don't forget our 'restaurants' page, where I've listed restaurants, fast food/convenience stores, taverns/pubs, and pizzerias. 

Oh no, almost forgot the family fun page.  Looking to have a great time, say, rafting, golfing, boating or some other kind of activity.  Check out this page for some ideas and locations. 

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INFO WITHIN THE POCONOS

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BUILDING PERMITS!    Every township in the Poconos requires zoning and building permits, in most instances.  I would suggest you don't fool around, it could be very costly to proceed with a project for which a permit is required, without having obtained one.  Call your township and ask, before you plan.  If you live in a development, you are probably required to obtain a permit from your community as well.  Call them and ask!

 

Tips for working with contractors that should allow things to flow smoothly with no one getting upset.

A good contractor is a busy contractor. A big problem for contractors is help - employees. Moreso than in other industries, the results of a poor employee is most often immediately obvious to the contractor, and the client who has engaged him. There is virtually no room for poor workmanship or less than professional behavior. Believe me, it matters not what one pays a worker - a higher salary does not insure better workmanship, although that would be the normal presumption.

A contractor has to 'over book' in order to insure his continuity of work. If he allows three weeks for one job, and then has another lined up, but finishes the first job in two weeks (it does/can happen) then he has to pay his employees regardless, for that one week without work). Also, he has to have enough work booked to keep his employees and his sub-contractors busy. It works out to be one great big domino effect. If he runs into trouble on one job, for whatever reason, he will probably be late in starting yours. He may start your job while finishing another, but if there is a problem finishing the other job, then he may have to miss some days at your job.

A smart contractor will have inside and outside work running concurrently. This allows him to maintain a work and money continuity. Obviously, everyone wants their job done as soon as possible - this is very difficult to promise, based on the many variables confronting the contractor.

Supply houses promise delivery dates, and most often they are accurate, but often enough there is a problem or a hold up and the needed materials do not come in at the specified time.

A smart contractor makes his customer aware of these things. He would like to get the job done as soon as you would, because that is usually when he will get the last of his money, which is usually 'his' salary and/or his profit.

There are things you can do to help the both of you.  Try not to be rigid about when what is done.  Your contractor and you should have a definite finish date, which you both need to agree to.  I would not tell your contractor that you have built in additional time, but, if the job goes over some, at least you won't be terribly upset.  The most important thing is to be certain of your choices up front. Any change in plans, materials, colors, etc., can really set a job back.

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Other important considerations.  Make sure your contractor has insurance.  If you have access to a fax, the contractor's insurance co. can fax you a copy of the insurance policy.  If not, the contractor can get a hold of a copy and provide it to you within a few working days - or not to hold things up, the commencement of the agreement can be contingent upon the contractor supplying you with a copy of his insurance(s).

Try to find out how much time the contractor him or herself plans to be on the job when there are other workers involved.  The more the contractor is present, the better it usually is, but that doesn't have to be the case.  Many contractors have reliable employees and/or superintendants who run the job - but find out how it is going to be.

Don't pay for more than you have on the job!  If any materials are 'custom', then you will be required to pay for those things up front.  For standard materials, the best policy is to pay for them when they are delivered to your job site.  A contractor can be spread pretty thin, and his finances can be as well so if he wants the money in order to get materials, verify with the supply center the materials the contractor will be getting, and be sure they are in your job name.  If you feel comfortable with your contractor, then you can give him the money up front, but, I would not make it for a huge amount, and I would want to see the materials within a week, unless there are custom things that need to be ordered.

There should be a 'draw' schedule established before the work begins.  That simply means that both you and your contractor agree when he will receive money from you, or a lender.  A good practice is to agree to a draw after x amount of work has taken place, ie; materials delivered, windows in place, roofing removed, old work removed, drywall installed, etc.  Depending on the scope of the work, there could be several draws involved. Try to retain 10% of the overall cost of the job until you do your final inspection. 

Beware of contractors coming to your door soliciting work.  A good contractor might do this, if he is working in the neighborhood, or has a special going on and is canvassing a neighborhood.  Watch out for the guys with the pickups who will claim to 'seal' your driveway for a very reasonable amount.  These crews usually drive around neighborhoods with colored kerosene, telling potential customers that they have materials left over from another job.

Determine who will be procuring the necessary permits.  Generally the contractor will do this, although you will be responsible for the payment of any and all permits.

If you're not sure about someone, call your township to see if they have any history with the particular contractor.  The township really can't offer an 'opinion', but if they have had trouble with a contractor in the past, you usually can tell by the way they say things. 

If at any time during the work, you are unhappy, or curious about something, talk with your contractor.  It is best to avoid talking with an employee or a sub-contractor.  If the contractor is not on the job, put in a call saying that you would like to speak with him/her.

Try to make the working conditions pleasant.  There should be rest room facility for the contractor to use.  Having some coffee or drinks for the workers goes a long way towards ensuring a good job.

No one can afford to do all the advertising they should, or would like to, consequently there are many contractors who perform many trades and functions, but just don't, or can't afford a separate ad for everything they do.  How does this effect you?  You may be looking for a particular company to do a particular thing, ie; jack up your foundation.  There are few enough contractors listed that do foundation repair, however, knowing what categories to check will often reveal a contractor under another listing who can do just what you need.  For example, a general contractor should be able to fix the foundation, or provide one of his sub-contractors to do that.  Many Home Improvement contractors should be able to address that problem as well.  It helps to know what you are dealing with in your home, ie; is the foundation poured concrete, block, stone, or other.  In many instances, masons can repair foundations.

I think a good example is plumbing/heating and air conditioning.  Many plumbers, not all, will do some heating work, and even some cooling work.  Most heating contractors will also address cooling and heat pump concerns.  Many plumbers do well work.  Many mechanical contractors do heating/air conditioning and heat pumps.

If you're looking for a carpenter for a specific job, know exactly what it is you want done.  Then, in addition to carpenters, you might also try cabinetry or home improvement contractors.  So it goes.  If you have a problem locating someone to do exactly what you need to have done, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to locate several contractors who can address your needs.   Email = gerryjj@verizon.net or call (570) 619-4060 and leave a message.  As time goes on, I will be adding more contractors and vendors.  As always, good luck.

 

This site is independently owned and run by one person.  There are no affiliations with any other advertising media or publications, or anyone listed herein.  I have the discretion of listing who I want.  If I am aware of less than satisfactory service from a contractor or a supplier, that company will probably not be listed here.  This is not a sideline for me.  I take this very seriously.  I believe this is a much needed service in the Poconos.  Sadly, but not unwarranted, some contractors and suppliers have earned themselves a bad name - taking advantage of the large demand and the short supply.  Things have changed.  We have better contractors and suppliers now.  One problem is, that there is no place with a total listing of them all, and there is no way to know if they are any good or not, until it's too late :-(  I can't promise everyone listed here will be a gem.  The ones with gold listings have provided me with three references which I personally checked out.  In some instances I have seen the contractor's work.  In many cases I have visited and patronized some of the suppliers and other purveyors listed here, and my experience earns them a gold listing.  It is very important for you, the consumer, to make me aware of any bad or unsatisfactory experience you encounter with anyone listed in these pages.  Only that way can I best control the quality of who is represented here.  Email me or call me, 619-4060.  Just leave a message and if requested, and sometimes not, I will get back to you.  Thank you!  ~Gerry

 

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