Hi, homeys!
I've heard and read good things about a not-for-profit, membership group called ''Angie's List''. What it is, is a listing of businesses such as handyman, plumber, roofers, painters, etc., but a business cannot simply pay a fee to be listed on Angie's List (unlike with, say, the Better Business Bureau, for example, from which I selected the worst roofers in the history of planet earth). The businesses are all referred by other members.
I've had bad experiences with two out of the three major projects I've had done on my house, all of which have cost me a lot of money. What is so stressful to me as a lowish income person is that, I try to be so careful who I pick--like for my roofers, I got many estimates, I didn't go with the lowest estimate, I went with roofers listed on the BBB, I went with roofers my neighbor's had used, and I **STILL** ended up getting really, SERIOUSLY scr)(*&$#EOUPEOIwed! And the really bad thing is, not only is it a lot of money each time something like this happens, money that takes me FOREVER and a day to scrounge up in the first place, and not only do you feel hurt and angry at the injustice of it all (i.e., NOT getting what you paid for), but in the end--and this is the worst part--like in the case of the paint job I recently had done along with other work on the exterior, all by a handyman: In the case of whatever was not done right, YOUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN THE WORLD IS STILL LEFT UNPROTECTED/EXPOSED! I mean, things like a roof, paint, doors, plumbing, termite treatments--all KINDA important! I had a professional painter who is painting a house near me say to me, regarding the fact that, in his opinion, my handyman didn't caulk 99.999% of what he should have ''Darlin', this is all gonna rot.'' I replied ''Well, that's not exactly what I was going for.''
STRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! My paint job looks FABU (it should--it had SIX years while I was saving up for it to pick out the ideal, IDEAL colors, and I think I did it!) but I figure that'll last about six months until it all starts peeling where he didn't scrape enough and/or caulk and/or some areas he flat didn't seem to get any paint. I've actually gone back and painted some areas myself (scary thought: Edna wielding a loaded paint brush! Everyone down on the floor! Duck and cover!). Some things I can't go back and fix up, due to lack of skill, lack of an extension ladder, lack of a good lower back, etc. And my whole point is, when you pay someone THOUSANDS of hard-earned dollars to do something, they should--HELLO--do it right. Which brings us back to Angie's List.
I found out that it costs $37.00 per year to belong to this. In return, you can find out about handymen, etc., who are really supposed to be good. Also, say something goes wrong, Angie's List will write to the business, give them a certain length of time to make it right, and if they don't, INTO THE PENALTY BOX WITH THEM! I am not making that up, they actually have a ''penalty box''. Lovin' it!
Anyway, does anyone belong to this? Whaddya think? Worth the fee? I know one business that is on it and I think they are really good. I also know one business I'd be glad to recommend for inclusion--members can do that. If a bunch of us Kenwoodians joined, it would be a great way to use a high-tech ''grapevine'' to network and help our neighborhood and support good businesses. But I just want to know if any of ya'll are on this and what do you think of it. Are the businesses you have used listed on Angie's List really consistently FABU or what? Peace out.
I've heard and read good things about a not-for-profit, membership group called ''Angie's List''. What it is, is a listing of businesses such as handyman, plumber, roofers, painters, etc., but a business cannot simply pay a fee to be listed on Angie's List (unlike with, say, the Better Business Bureau, for example, from which I selected the worst roofers in the history of planet earth). The businesses are all referred by other members.
I've had bad experiences with two out of the three major projects I've had done on my house, all of which have cost me a lot of money. What is so stressful to me as a lowish income person is that, I try to be so careful who I pick--like for my roofers, I got many estimates, I didn't go with the lowest estimate, I went with roofers listed on the BBB, I went with roofers my neighbor's had used, and I **STILL** ended up getting really, SERIOUSLY scr)(*&$#EOUPEOIwed! And the really bad thing is, not only is it a lot of money each time something like this happens, money that takes me FOREVER and a day to scrounge up in the first place, and not only do you feel hurt and angry at the injustice of it all (i.e., NOT getting what you paid for), but in the end--and this is the worst part--like in the case of the paint job I recently had done along with other work on the exterior, all by a handyman: In the case of whatever was not done right, YOUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN THE WORLD IS STILL LEFT UNPROTECTED/EXPOSED! I mean, things like a roof, paint, doors, plumbing, termite treatments--all KINDA important! I had a professional painter who is painting a house near me say to me, regarding the fact that, in his opinion, my handyman didn't caulk 99.999% of what he should have ''Darlin', this is all gonna rot.'' I replied ''Well, that's not exactly what I was going for.''
STRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! My paint job looks FABU (it should--it had SIX years while I was saving up for it to pick out the ideal, IDEAL colors, and I think I did it!) but I figure that'll last about six months until it all starts peeling where he didn't scrape enough and/or caulk and/or some areas he flat didn't seem to get any paint. I've actually gone back and painted some areas myself (scary thought: Edna wielding a loaded paint brush! Everyone down on the floor! Duck and cover!). Some things I can't go back and fix up, due to lack of skill, lack of an extension ladder, lack of a good lower back, etc. And my whole point is, when you pay someone THOUSANDS of hard-earned dollars to do something, they should--HELLO--do it right. Which brings us back to Angie's List.
I found out that it costs $37.00 per year to belong to this. In return, you can find out about handymen, etc., who are really supposed to be good. Also, say something goes wrong, Angie's List will write to the business, give them a certain length of time to make it right, and if they don't, INTO THE PENALTY BOX WITH THEM! I am not making that up, they actually have a ''penalty box''. Lovin' it!
Anyway, does anyone belong to this? Whaddya think? Worth the fee? I know one business that is on it and I think they are really good. I also know one business I'd be glad to recommend for inclusion--members can do that. If a bunch of us Kenwoodians joined, it would be a great way to use a high-tech ''grapevine'' to network and help our neighborhood and support good businesses. But I just want to know if any of ya'll are on this and what do you think of it. Are the businesses you have used listed on Angie's List really consistently FABU or what? Peace out.
