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It's easy to use Yelp for basically everything in life in terms of finding a good restaurant, dentist, etc.
But, I can't seem to find reviews for any electrician companies, general contractors, etc in the Seattle area online without signing up to websites like Angie's list. What's up with that?
Does anyone have any idea on how to find a good electrician, contractor for bathroom remodel, etc?
I have been screwed in the past by lazy contractors (we all have) and am hoping to be able to eliminate that this time around.
Also, if there are no ways other than researching BBB, etc, can anyone actually recommend using Angie's List?
I've found all of my contractors on Angie's List. Most were great. A couple of them were duds to me, yet ranked highly on AL. One electrician stood me up without a phone call or anything. He had excellent AL reviews. Go figure!
I've found all of my contractors on Angie's List. Most were great. A couple of them were duds to me, yet ranked highly on AL. One electrician stood me up without a phone call or anything. He had excellent AL reviews. Go figure!
I've generally had good luck with Angie's list too. If they get good ratings, they are generally good. You do get a dud in there every so often, but contractors have bad days too. I guess I figure I caught them when they were overwhelmed with business or something.
Does anyone have any idea on how to find a good electrician, contractor...?
Like always... by way of personal contacts.
Start with the HVAC guy you have learned to trust.
Ask HIM to recommend the electrician or the plumber or carpenter.
The same is true when looking for an accountant or lawyer.
Finding the first one might require trusting the opinion of a neighbor/friend.
Be careful that THEY have credibility to judge the pro.
Quote:
...can anyone actually recommend using Angie's List?
Nope. Not ever.
Not that a good one can't be in there...
it's the lack of credibility from who is saying they're good.
I know some people don't like Angie's List, but I've had very very good luck with them- good work at good prices. (and, cough, you can share an Angie's List subscription with friends or family)
I've just been through the ringer with contractors for the past 2 months.
When one comes in to do a job, he breaks 2 other things.
During this nightmare the only thing I can suggest is recommendations from current workers and also ask neighbours.
Then do the research on him/his company and use your gut.
Get someone insured/bonded and go through everything. If it's a big job, get it in writing what's expected and so on. Get educated on the jobs that need done so you know if they are trying to con you. Please do not use a "handyman who does everything".
Sorry to sound so negative but my project is still ongoing and that's by getting recommendation through yelp AND angie's list - what works for one may not work for the other.
That and ask to see or speak with previous jobs. I know if I had a great contractor, I would have zero issue in speaking with a potential client to talk about the job the contractor did for me. And I am not a sociable person.
There's a service called Thumbtack. One way to tell if it's in your area is to google "Electrician in Seattle" and you may pull up something that says "Top 5 Electricians in Seattle". At that point, you click on it and explain what your project is with contact info and hit enter. The Electricians (or whichever trade you're looking for) will see your post (try to be detailed in your description) and they decide if they want to buy your lead. It's very affordable for them, usually a few dollars. That gives them access to your contact info and they can ask to view your project or they might be able to give you an approximate price right way.
The great thing about this is you can see comments from previous customers. ALSO, a biggee, Thumbtack gives the contractor the opportunity to have a background check done and if they do that, it will show up in their Thumbtack profile. So you can go with those guys that are cleared. They also might have links to their web sites, which will show you more about thier company.
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