Community Chat

[SeaMaiden]

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@DiAnne wrote:

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!

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@DiAnne  Yes! if you have a small job..FORGET IT!  I worry about hiring anyone that is not licensed, bonded and insured so I  usually will not hire  odd job type people for that reason. But, if no one will fix a small job....I guess what choice is there but to hire a handyman?

[SeaMaiden]

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@Susan Louise wrote:

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.

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@Susan Louise  I use Angie’s list like you....and have had several so called +A businesses that were less than “plus A”.  This gutter business was rated one of the best....and he could not even call me to say he was not going to make the appointment.

[SeaMaiden]

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@Mz iMac wrote:

Reading this thread reminds me of why I "rent."

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@Mz iMac   You are SO right. Home ownership is way over rated.

[Susan Louise]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@Susan Louise wrote:

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.

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@Susan Louise  I use Angie’s list like you....and have had several so called +A businesses that were less than “plus A”.  This gutter business was rated one of the best....and he could not even call me to say he was not going to make the appointment.

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@SeaMaiden  Did you leave a poor review on Angie's List for possible future customers?

[SeaMaiden]

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@Susan Louise wrote:

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@Susan Louise wrote:

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.

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@Susan Louise  I use Angie’s list like you....and have had several so called +A businesses that were less than “plus A”.  This gutter business was rated one of the best....and he could not even call me to say he was not going to make the appointment.

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@SeaMaiden  Did you leave a poor review on Angie's List for possible future customers?

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@Susan Louise No.  I suppose I could. 

[chrystaltree]

Calling is a out of date.  They probably don't check their phone messages very often.  When we had the big house, we used Angie's List.  Our regular plumber booked jobs via his website.  It's how customers communicated with him.  Here in the condo, we have used the app TACKL for two small jobs.  We had piece of furniture assembled and we had someone replace the dining area chandalier.  I love that app!  

[Susan Louise]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@Susan Louise wrote:

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@Susan Louise wrote:

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.

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@Susan Louise  I use Angie’s list like you....and have had several so called +A businesses that were less than “plus A”.  This gutter business was rated one of the best....and he could not even call me to say he was not going to make the appointment.

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@SeaMaiden  Did you leave a poor review on Angie's List for possible future customers?

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@Susan Louise No.  I suppose I could. 

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@SeaMaiden  That's the whole point of the program. If someone doesn't deserve the rating they currently have, it gets adjusted. I'm surprised you haven't yet considering you pay to be a member of Angie's List.

You can't expect 2 or 3 people to carry the load for everyone and expect the ratings to remain true.

Are you sure you are a member of Angie's List?

Angie's List contacts you constantly to make sure you are 'clean' with your activity. They will contact you to make sure.

[drizzellla]

We had a WONDERFUL guy! He did great work - very happy with his residing the house. Then when we had a fire, he got matching siding and made everything right. Then he decided to only do Harry Helmet jobs.   Things went downhill from there.

Our neighbor's FIL did our roof - we chased shingles for years. We finally gave up and got a new roof. Tried Home Adviser - got a roofer. He ran out of membrane for under the shingles. Didn't bother to buy more membrane.

Just had cement work done. Only one guy got back to us. It took him 3 days to do a 6 hour job. And it is just OK. We had asked him to also replace the cement pad where we put our trash cans. Never heard from him. 

So disappointed.  And just about every 3-4 houses have someone working on it during the day. Our neighbor across the street is having her front door changed to about 15 feet from the original spot. The neighbor next door is having a kitchen and bathroom replaced, the neighbor up the street is having a second and third story put on her house and her next door neighbor had a tree removed all today. Nothing but trucks up and down the street.

Guess everyone has bigger and better jobs to do.

[Carmie]

I am glad that I very seldom have to pay anyone to do anything around the home.  My husband can do anything..painting  electric, plumbing, install a furnace, hot water heater, dishwasher and he installed all of my hardwood floors ( not the click together type. They had to be installed, sanded and finished) he fixes all of our cars and even does body work and painting if we get a dent or other damage. And, he does it well.

The problem is that our neighbors and friends are always calling him up to do odd jobs around their home too.  One of my sons does HVAC work.  He works for a company usually doing commercial work.  

People ask us to have him call them because they would like him to install a air conditioner or heat pump, do plumbing, etc.

He is so busy and doesn’t have time to do on the side jobs.  There is a big shortage of workers to do handy man jobs.  Many people go to college and have to pound the pavement to get a job and not enough people are going into blue collar occupations.

My son who does HVAC work is often looked down on by other family members on DH’s side because he didn’t go to college.  He gets the last laugh when they find out how well he is paid and find out how well off he is.

We surely need more handy workers as more and more people get older and less and less people are going into this type of work.

[kivah]

@SeaMaiden

I never call anyone to fix anything before I go to Yelp dot com. Check the reviews and find a repair person that lives in ur area. I have found several people, ie, carpet cleaner, window washer, plumber, etc. Do u use the site Nextdoor dot com? I'm on there every day and I've found several people who've helped me - and other times, they refer someone to me. It's a free site - people in ur community who talk about anything and everything. Around 6 months ago, I needed an electrician to fix one of my light switches - the light wasn't going on. A neighbor on there referred her husband - who was an electrician - retired from the Navy. He came over - not only did he fix it, but also unclogged my stopped-up bathroom sink and a couple of other things. When I asked him how much does it cost? He said, it's FREE!!! I said, NO - and I gave him $25.

I prefer never to call people randomly --- most of the time, you'll get scammed and the work probably won't be done correctly. You always need to read reviews and get references.

I live in southern California - and never had anyone not show up.But - I also don't call randomly.

It's important to get an estimate on the phone when u speak to someone --- and, definitely, get an estimate when they come to ur house - before they do the work. Otherwise, they could charge u anything.