ANGIE'S LIST (new to this area)

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by TMI Guy

You know very well that you can't please everybody, and there will always be a few PITA clients, but the cream will always rise to the top. If you've been around long enough and you do a consistently good job and the sample size is large enough, an online database of customer reviews should be very good for your business. Likewise, if you cut corners and/or treat your clients like crap, that will be reflected in your reviews, as it should be. As long as the sample size is large enough, the outliers will be disregarded and the reviews will give a reasonable picture of how the contractor does business.

I totally understand but, all it takes is ONE bad comment for people to pass over you. If that comment is unfounded it still doesn't matter.
In this day and age some people say what they want weather it is true or not.
I rely on referrals and honestly my business is doing well but still.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

I totally understand but, all it takes is ONE bad comment for people to pass over you. If that comment is unfounded it still doesn't matter.
In this day and age some people say what they want weather it is true or not.
I rely on referrals and honestly my business is doing well but still.

I can only speak for myself, but if I see one bad comment and ten glowing referrals, my inclination is to think that the bad referral is from an unreasonable client who has an axe to grind. It will not keep me from considering that contractor.

[Newbiesaukee]

I have never used Angie's list but I think the Internet reviews of anything are very useful with a number of cautions most of which are obvious. It really isn't much different from the restaurant threads on this Forum. If you use it enough you can get a pretty idea of what a restaurant is like. One bad review on any website is not enough to dissuade me and usually you can tell who has an axe to grind.

[Lakegeezer]

Just checked it Angie's and there are quite a few Lakes Region businesses in there already, but few reviews. If those in this forum would each write a few reviews, the critical mass would happen quickly. Many of us buy products, book hotel rooms and visit locations only after reading reviews, so why not local services too. A little transparency into the slim pickings we have around here can only help the consumer. Those in the trades may become more careful with customer service, and start responding to complaints. Smitty's Plumbing in Moultonborough is a good example of mixed reviews and a business response.

[fpartri497]

About 8 years ago I used a very well known referral list similar to angies list to hire a general roofing contractor company . worst mistake i ever made. this company that i hired had rave reviews all over the place. they charged me $8000.00 and did the worst roofing installation I have ever seen row upon row of shingled spaced way off. almost overlapping the previous rows. I had to hire another co. to fix their abortion. and got no help whatsoever from the co. I hired. even after threatning to sue they said kiss off

[songkrai]

Angie's List.
I signed up to see what it has to offer.
Free here now. But there are fees to join.

Now my email address is getting SPAM offers from "local" contractors.

So Angie's List is selling email addresses.

Maybe one can opt out.

So far, again, I am not impressed with Angie's List.

[SAMIAM]

Seems to me that it would be a simple matter for anyone in business to have friends and family post glowing reviews .....or competitors doing the reverse.

[pcmc]

Being on the contractor side of the fence, I would like to see a list contractors make stating what home owners are difficult to work with and why. Even more important which ones don't pay!
I was told this was illegal for a contractor to list this information about a home owners publicly.
Contractors are as uneasy meeting new customers as the homeowner meeting the contractor. Word of mouth is always the best.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by pcmc

Being on the contractor side of the fence, I would like to see a list contractors make stating what home owners are difficult to work with and why. Even more important which ones don't pay!
I was told this was illegal for a contractor to list this information about a home owners publicly.
Contractors are as uneasy meeting new customers as the homeowner meeting the contractor. Word of mouth is always the best.

FYI you can take a homeowner to small claims for up to $7000. If you have a signed contract and documentation of work completed you have really good chance of recouping something.
I just walked away from a job after being jerked around by a homeowner who wanted a whole new kitchen new doors and multiple other work done, and then a painter to come in. Originally all the painting was suppose to be completed after cabinets were removed and before new doors and trim went up.
In all my years of painting I've never had a homeowner or builder install cabinets, doors and trim it all out before having a painter do his thing. Then they want it done for the same price you originally quote them. Any of you that have done this type of work knows how difficult it is to have to work with trim that needs to be stained and polyurethaned all while having to paint the walls as well.
You put paint on the walls, then you put up your cabinets and trim the place out. You literally double the time required to do the job by doing it the way it was done, but try to explain that to someone who thinks they know everything! Thankfully additional work was added to the job and it needed to be re-estimated and I was able to walk away.

[tis]

Being in a business that is between the contractor and the homeowner, we hear both sides of the story all the time. There are good and bad on both sides, you are right.

[phoenix]

back to Angie's list as I have stated I have enjoyed having it in Phoenix which of course is a large city so whether it will work in lakes region who knows but I will give it a shot. How the process works in the 6 times i have used it . the list of say plumbers is available with the reviews and you book and pay thru Angie's list . You get a receipt and call the contractor to schedule. You give the contractor the receipt when the work is done. A few days after that you get a request from Angie's list to rate which you do . the contractor gets to see it and issue a rebuttal and contradict if a negative review. Also Angie's list gets involved to try to resolve . It's not perfect and i am sure if a bunch of friends want to tout a contractor they can buy the service . But to my knowledge cant " stuff the ballot boxes". It seems to offer an alternative but will see if it works in lakes region. Don't know if they sell the e mails as I get so many spam e mails anyway but I haven't noticed a lot of contractors sending me notes. Angie's list makes its money on the yearly fee and I suspect they take a fee off the payment from the various contractors.