Key Holding & Vendor Meet on San Juan Island

Owning a house on an island you don't live on means a steady stream of small access problems. The new dishwasher is arriving Tuesday between ten and four. The septic company needs the lid located. The propane company wants someone to unlock the gate. The plumber you finally booked can come next Thursday, and only next Thursday.

I hold a key, or the code, and I'm the person at the door. I let the contractor in, show them where the problem is, stay while they work if you want someone on site, and walk the work area after they leave. You get photos of what was done and a note on anything that looked off. Then I lock up and confirm the house is secure.

This is especially useful for the trades I don't do myself. I hold a general contractor registration, which doesn't cover electrical or plumbing work in Washington. When the house needs an electrician or a plumber, I'll meet them, make sure they're looking at the right thing, and tell you plainly what they found. You get a local set of eyes without having to trust a stranger alone in the house.

Deliveries count too. Furniture, appliances, building materials, and anything that comes over on a freight truck tends to show up on its own schedule. I can be there to receive it, check for damage before signing, and get it inside and out of the weather.

Key holding also matters for emergencies. If the neighbor calls about a door banging in the wind, or the alarm company calls about a sensor, somebody local with a key can be there the same day instead of next week.