Angie's List
Rick
Is there a service comporable to Angie's List that's free?
Thanks, Rick
Seerialmom
Sort of. ServiceMagic.com was something I looked into a while back;
but I don't think they have just lists of contractors to look through
for ratings. As I recall you spell out the work you want done and get
some bids; you can then look at the ratings of those who have
replied. I also tried to see if perhaps the forums on Craigslist
might have something similar but it doesn't look like it. Too bad;
I'd like to know who others in my area used for roofing and whether
they felt the company was good work and price wise.
L Vetter
Seerialmom wrote:
<snipped>
I'd like to know who others in my area used for roofing and whether
they felt the company was good work and price wise.
---------------------------------------------
If you live in the Mpls/St. Paul area, I can give you the name of a roofing
company that does excellent work at a very reasonable price.
Loren
Seerialmom
Thanks Loren...I appreciate the thought but I'm on the left coast :)
I figured I'd stick with some long time companies in the area
(including one that has the same last name as mine, it's unique so I
chose them mainly for novelties sake). What I find odd is that
there's plenty of reviews for "stuff" like electronics and other
household gadgets on sites like epinions.com and also websites that
have "space" for reviews but they rarely have any. One thing that
might be preventing these reviews is having to create an account to
log on? Angie's List did quite a bit of marketing so it's more well
known I suppose. I just don't care for the "paid account" requirement
to post reviews.
Vic Smith
I used servicemagic to find the guy who fixed my furnace.
I didn't even notice the reviews before I had him come in, but they're
there.
Still working on getting my good review for him in there.
I had done the review on the site before they sent the linked e-mail
to do the review, The review process isn't too user friendly if you
jump the gun, as I did because it all happened very fast.
I probably should have waited for the linked e-mail that asked me to
do the rating.
Your post prompted me to use the link on the first e-mail servicemagic
sent me, to find the reviews. Mine isn't there, so I've asked them
for help getting it in there.
Here's how servicemagic works - or did for me.
You fill in a basic form, including your zip and phone number.
It returns 3 contractors, with their contact info.
I didn't notice a way to look at the reviews right then.
Shortly thereafter you get an e-mail with a "Project Guide" link.
Following that link will allow you to read the customer reviews of
the 3 contractors. You check a "rate" box under the contractor and
click on his name to see the reviews.
Pretty good really. The reviews aren't verifiable as if a neighbor
gave the recommendation, but they seem genuine. Didn't see enough of
them to be sure though.
But here's how the process actually worked for me.
The initial web form barely came back with the 3 contractors, and the
phone rang. Since the guy didn't immediately make clear his business,
my wife guessed it was a spam call, and got rid of him, telling him
nobody was home and try a bit later.
As soon as she hung up the second guy called, and she yelled down the
stairs at me, "Hey, are you expecting furnace guys to call here?"
Hell, I was still looking at the returned e-form. I thought it was my
kids calling.
So I talked to second guy and scheduled him to come out the next day.
He worked out real good.
The first guy called back in half an hour, and I told him flat out
what happened, and recommended he make sure he identify himself right
off when calling. That's life.
The third contractor never called.
Anyway, the furnace was already fixed before I even noticed the e-mail
with the "Project Guide" link.
Probably came about the same time the contractors were calling me.
I asked the guy who did my work, and he said he gets a text message
from servicemagic with the customer's phone number as soon as the web
form is completed. Automation is all over the place.
So you might have to put the contractors off until you get a chance
to read the reviews. I didn't see any way to delay them calling.
Servicemagic seems a pretty good option to get contractor reviews,
but you should expect calls.
If I knew about the reviews I would have just told these guys I'd call
them back after reading the reviews. Not a big deal.
You should be able to get local roofer reviews using servicemagic.
Probably won't get price until the roofer comes out and bid on the
job, but the reviews might guide you on who you have bid on the job.
I want to make clear I'm not endorsing servicemagic, because I just
don't know enough about it.
But I'll probably use them next time a contractor is called for and I
don't have a good lead. Better than throwing darts at a phone book.
Personally I prefer word-of-mouth recommendations, but they're not
foolproof either.
I had my roof done about 5 years ago, and I got the roofer by getting
his card as his crew was doing a job a couple miles from my house.
I asked if he had local references and he asked me how many I wanted.
I didn't bother checking any, as I trusted him and his price was in
the ballpark. Worked out well.
About a year later a guy I worked with and who lived not far from me
told me about the hassle he was having getting this SOB roofer out to
fix something that was screwed up from the roofing job.
Turned out to be my roofer!
My workmate has a split level, while I have a ranch.
Maybe the guy has trouble doing gullleys. Or maybe not.
Most things aren't as clear cut as we want.
--Vic