Sellers and buyers often have one thing in common: there’s something about their house that they want or need to fix.
The first way to find a reliable contractor is to ask for personal recommendations. Your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers all have to fix up their houses from time to time and they’ll probably be happy to share their experiences.
But when you’re working with a real estate agent, another great option is to ask her who she recommends. Like most agents, I have a list of contractors and companies I’ve worked with before, and unlike your neighbor Joe, I’ve usually had more than one experience with each servicer. Chances are, the companies I have relationships with will work hard to make you happy because they know I’ll get your feedback on their services and if they don’t perform well, I’ll remember that next time somebody asks me who I’d recommend.
Another source you might turn to is Angie’s List. If you read the paper you’ve probably seen Angie’s List advertised – it seems like their ad shows up in the Seattle Times nearly every day. Angie’s List is a subscriber service where you can research service companies, read reviews by other people who have used them, and leave your own ratings and reviews. Sort of like word of mouth, on a larger scale. But keep in mind, the largest companies with the best ratings may be more expensive than the smaller contractors, who may not have ratings in the service simple because they don’t do the same volume of business.
