ANGIE'S LIST (new to this area)

[wildwind]

JUST AN FYI!!!!! This is a great way to let your experiences with contractors or business' be known. It's new to the Moultonboro area and is FREE for a short time to this area and others around. Contractors CAN'T pay to be listed. The only way they can get their name on the list is to have customers file a review of their work and services and how it went. IF your looking to hire someone for remodeling or new construction and want to know the truth...I think this is the way to go. Angie's list.com

[phoenix]

Totally agree . i signed up in phoenix and was able to also use in NH without added cost. They have good deals advertised by all kinds of contractors that were real value and of course they usually did a good job as they wanted the reference. Also you end up paying Angie's list directly then call the contractor and print out a confirmation and just hand it to them. It works well and you can save the annual fee with one of these deals. .

[Acrossamerica]

How many plumbers are listed on Angies list within a 10 mile radious of Moultonborough? The same for other trades? People listed in Concord or even Gilford will cost you an arm and a leg to drive that far. Angies list works in large population areas where there are enough people to use a tradesman to post a review. I think a better solution is to ask a neighbor or friend for a referral. But then again I may be wrong. Plus their TV advs with the people who come across as not having any degree of being self assured and capable of functioning on their turn me off. But that is only my opinion obviously it has worked wonders for Angie who is now a multi millionaire from selling subscriptions. My question is does it work in rural America?

[wildwind]

The reason there aren't more people listed from this area is because it brand-new to this area. That's why if you sign up now it's free. I found out because I was looking for a plumber and a builder and a neighbor told me to try this and it worked. It's only an FYI...

[songkrai]

Originally Posted by Acrossamerica

How many plumbers are listed on Angies list within a 10 mile radious of Moultonborough? The same for other trades? People listed in Concord or even Gilford will cost you an arm and a leg to drive that far. Angies list works in large population areas where there are enough people to use a tradesman to post a review. I think a better solution is to ask a neighbor or friend for a referral. But then again I may be wrong. Plus their TV advs with the people who come across as not having any degree of being self assured and capable of functioning on their turn me off. But that is only my opinion obviously it has worked wonders for Angie who is now a multi millionaire from selling subscriptions. My question is does it work in rural America?

New to Angie's List today.
Fine for local stuff.
Not easy to navigate to other areas.
Had to telephone customer service.
There are membership fees.
Free here local as customer service stated "new market".

Not impressed (yet).

[phoenix]

I know that I am in a large market normally in Phoenix but I am sure over time the lakes region will get filled out. What i like the best is almost every morning i get an email with great deals like 200 dollars of electrical work for say 75 . Window washing, landscaping, plumbing, garage door tune ups etc . so hopefully over time this will happen in Lakes region . I found that one deal saved me enough money to cover the cost.

[Belmont Resident]

From a contractors perspective something like this can be a real bad idea.
For example, I worked one job with what I would call one of the best builders in the lakes region.
Homeowner was a pain in the butt throughout the whole process making all the decisions as they were needed instead of ahead of time so the job would go smoothly. She had to fly out from another state every time a decision was made.
Homeowner who had a signed contract with the builder indicating he get's a percentage of all materials and subs. Standard in the building industry.
Homeowner decided to start looking for their own subs and ordering their own materials leaving the builder out of the loop.
Builder calls the homeowner on it and is asked to leave the job.
This contractor who I've worked with on a few jobs did not do one thing wrong, but do you think the homeowner would have good things to say about them?
For this reason and many more I believe a service like this tailored around exactly what I got out of the work force for, the butt kissers who will do whatever it takes to get a pat on the back.
I believe in working hard and if I do not agree with what a homeowner wants me to do I will tell them so weather it cost me a job or not.
I do not believe that a service where you can ruin someones business just because you do not like them is a beneficial service to this area. If people took the time to do a little research and check references then many of the poor quality work could be prevented.

[P-3 Guy]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

From a contractors perspective something like this can be a real bad idea.

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.

[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.