anybody here use it?

Quote from: bobspapa on August 28, 2012, 09:08:45 PM
anybody here use it?

Yes. What do you want to know?

no, because yelp is free....

http://www.pcworld.com/article/237331/angies_list_is_the_service_site_worth_its_membership_fee.html

Quote from: hbliam on August 28, 2012, 10:03:46 PM
Yes. What do you want to know?

I know I sound cheap... but is it worth it.

We are looking into getting a new roof for the house, so we've started the looking into contractors part of things. The way I see it... you are only going to get reviews from people who are members, and not from all the people who might want to pregnant dog or praise a company simply because they don't want to join just to write a rerview.

Quote from: bobspapa on August 29, 2012, 12:33:19 PM
I know I sound cheap... but is it worth it.

We are looking into getting a new roof for the house, so we've started the looking into contractors part of things. The way I see it... you are only going to get reviews from people who are members, and not from all the people who might want to pregnant dog or praise a company simply because they don't want to join just to write a rerview.

Always good to check w/ the BBB and it should be free

I joined because I didn't have a good contact for plantation shutters. I have worked in home improvement for 15 years and have the best contacts for most anything..except shutters. I vetted a shutter company I found on the Internet through Angies list. Yelp had 4 reviews. Angies list had several hundred. I contected them and they performed ..so far...as reviewed.

Quote from: MikeZ on August 29, 2012, 01:07:06 PM
Always good to check w/ the BBB and it should be free

The BBB is a franchise business that bullies companies into paid memberships. Their grading system is suspect.

Quote from: hbliam on August 29, 2012, 01:11:18 PM
The BBB is a franchise business that bullies companies into paid memberships. Their grading system is suspect.

Logged complaints are complaints whether it's to Angies List, Google, BBB etc. No?

Quote from: MikeZ on August 29, 2012, 01:18:37 PM
Logged complaints are complaints whether it's to Angies List, Google, BBB etc. No?

Of course any research is helpful. I just give zero credence to the BBB. They have no legal authority like people think they do and they have consistently shown to treat "members" favorably and those that refuse to join unfavorably. They have no credibility. Neither does Yelp. AL at least is an attempt in that direction.

Definately not saying BBB is great by any stretch. Just another resource to use.

How does Angie's list work as far as paying/ logging in? Could someone look up contractors for someone else in a different area or give someone else their loggin info?

I checked the BBB... no reports either positive or negative about the company I'm researching.

Quote from: hbliam on August 29, 2012, 01:23:39 PM
Of course any research is helpful. I just give zero credence to the BBB. They have no legal authority like people think they do and they have consistently shown to treat "members" favorably and those that refuse to join unfavorably. They have no credibility. Neither does Yelp. AL at least is an attempt in that direction.

i agree about bbb, but locally, for me, whether it has been a plumber, or landscaper or something as simple as a restaurant, yelp has been extremely helpful, as well as accurate... with yelp, there is an additional link on every page for filtered results that will bring up ALL reviews that have ever been posted

Quote from: bobspapa on August 29, 2012, 01:29:57 PM
I checked the BBB... no reports either positive or negative about the company I'm researching.

You might even have that problem with Angies List. The roofing company I sell for has been in business for thirty plus years and has done over 5,000 roofs in Orange/LA County. Zero reviews.

Talk to your local non-big box contractor supply store.  They'd be unlikely to send you to someone who wasn't any good.

Quote from: bobspapa on August 29, 2012, 01:29:57 PM
I checked the BBB... no reports either positive or negative about the company I'm researching.

You might try asking  folks you know for advice. You know, like people who worked in housing const. for a couple of decades. If only you knew somebody like that locally. Or even people you know who recently had their roofs replaced, you know locally. Here in town. That used local contractors. Right here in Bfield. Local.   
d.a.