Finding someone to fix things about the home

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

Is it just me, or are companies that you call to come out and do a repair etc hard to get out to do the job?

i call and call...leave a message...eventually they may return my call...say they will be out on a certain day. Then, they do not show....do not call....so I call again, leave a message....no return call....by third call they call back. Say that they will be out Bla Bla Bla...

Who runs a business line this? I heard from neighbors it is very common for them as well.

I guess I should be in the gutter business as he fellow who FINALLY showed up to clean out a clogged gutter said he was just booked.... so busy.....too busy to just call me back I guess...

I call it JUST RUDE.

BirdieGal · ‎12-20-2015

@SeaMaiden

We have that problem as well. We have been trying to find someone to install two new ceiling fans in our home and move around some of the other light fixtures. One guy was scheduled to show up and never did. We hired a second. He never showed.

DH can do it but he is only home a few days a week and I really don’t want to have him do all of that. Plus all of our ceilings are 12 feet high and even though we have the giant ladder system, I would rather get someone out.

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

I also have been trying to get some things done around the house. My main problem is that even people who bill themselves as handymen want bigger jobs now. There is so much new construction in the area where I live they are not interested in the smaller jobs.

In desperation I called the local senior center that has an employment program - they don't even call!

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

You are correct. Every person you ask has a story and reason for the no-shows.

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

Whenever we need something done around the house that DH or I can't do ourselves, we go straight to Angie's List.

Then we go through all the reviews and pick the best 2 or 3 and then get estimates, judge them on call backs/set up appts/etc.

This system has worked like a charm for us. We don't have the extra time or money for poor companies/workers.

dex · ‎03-09-2010

@BirdieGal Do you have a good friend or neighbor to help.We always help each other in our neighborhood...saves lots of money,gets the job done and you don't have strangers in your home.

BirdieGal · ‎12-20-2015

No, not anyone who can do this work. We do have our son, he is 23. Even though he is disabled he has a lot of ability to do these things. DH can do it. He is awesome. He just wanted to hire this out. Looks like it’s him and our Bubbie!

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

We have been using Angie's list for years now. We just had a contractor in recently to give an estimate to fix a ceiling after our roof leaked. The roofer did an excellent job on the roof and now the painter is coming next week over two days to fix the ceiling. Estimates are given free for most contractors and they have always shown up. My husband is a senior, so they gave us a discount.

SusieQ_2 · ‎03-27-2012

I guess I should count my blessings. In the past two weeks I've had both a plumber and an appliance repairman out to do some work. Both came out the day after I called and were there on time. They did a great job, were done within an hour, and the price was good. I hope I didn't use up all my luck for the future!

I will say this about the appliance situation. My first call was to Sears which was a big mistake. The woman I talked to was rude. She got angry because I wouldn't go for the $49 a month plan for a year that would include 10 other appliances. I don't even know what the entire spiel was because I tuned her out after about 5 minutes.

When she finally finished and I said "No thank you, I just want to pay for the repair" she replied "So I guess you just like spending more money." I ignored that and when she asked for my email address I said "Okay, but it's a long one." She actually heaved a loud, heavy sigh and said "Fine, go ahead."

That's when I decided to do a little research online and found a good, family owned, local company who was able to come out the very next day. Sears was unable to come out until the following week which gave me plenty of time to call and cancel...which is another whole story of a prolonged phone exchange with a guy whose accent was so thick I couldn't understand most of what he said. I can only hope he did actually cancel the appointment. Moral of the story...I will never call Sears again!

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

Don't even get me started on stuff. Trying to find someone to do anything is a major hassle.

You wouldn't believe what DH and I went through trying to find someont to tile our bathroom shower. We paid a lot more than we were told it would cost us by the place we bought the tile. 6 months after it was done, all the grout is coming out between the tile and the tub. He was supposed to have caulked that and I just don't think he did or he did a lousy job. Anyhow, all my calls to him have gone unanswered so I've given up.

Now we're trying to find someone to lay a wood floor. I'm ready to pull my hair out.