AngieList.com - Who Uses Them?

Question

Hey Guys ....

Looks like I got an offer accepted on now our 3rd Property (4th door).  Didn't think it was going to happen - Roughly 20 offers were submitted, until 1 finally hit!  Just about jumped for joy  :D

Anyways ... This is going to be my first *large* rehab (costing in the ballpark of $30k - $40k)

Wanted to find out who has used AngiesList to find good contractors?  Do you try and find 1-2 man contractor(s) or do you look for larger companies?  And lastly, what have your results been like?  Once I find guys that can seemingly do the job well, are fair priced, etc... will hopefully be able to keep them in mind for future rehabs.

Thanks guys!  Can't wait to get a big rehab under my belt so I can fully understand everything that goes in to it!

EDITED TO ADD:  Special Thanks to J Scott !!! What a great asset to the BP community he is, and his spreadsheets he shares are great for noob and seasoned veterans alike!  Thanks J!

J Scott · Answer

Jeffrey's point of asking your good contractors for references is the best route to take.  Good contractors won't risk their reputation by referring you to bad contractors, and they're always happy to help out good contractors they know.  So, that's the best place to start.

Secondly, any time you're driving and see a contractor truck in front of what is likely an investor rehab, stop and chat with the contractors.  Let them know you are an investor and are always looking for subs.  Then ask if they'll show you around the house and give you an overview of what they're doing and how much they're charging.  I've found a couple good contractors this way.

Third, Angie's List and Craigslist.  You'll come across a lot of bad contractors this way as well, so treat it like a numbers game.  Interview and get bids from 5 plumbers, 5 electricians, 10 handymen, etc.  The best part of doing this is that you get 5 different experts telling you what needs to be done (and how much it will cost) on a specific job, so you'll start to see some commonalities among them.  When one guy completely contradicts the other four, you know you can cross him off the list.

Lastly, as Don said, Home Depot at 6:30am is a great place to find contractors.  Anyone there that early both is good enough to have work in this economy and diligent enough to be starting his day early.  Home Depot workers aren't supposed to give out referrals for contractors, but they will, and are generally pretty good, as they don't want to risk pissing off their customers.

And, most importantly, always trust your gut.  If something a contractor says just doesn't sound right or if a price just seems too good to be true, go with your gut...

Jeffrey K. · Answer

I am the general on all of my own stuff, but when I am looking for someone in a trade that I dont normally use, I hit angieslist.

Once you get a few subs you can trust you can ask them if they know anyone who does .......  They will often know people looking for work and who do a good job.

Chris Martin · Answer

I'll cut this way down since J Scott and Corey beat me to it! The only small piece to add in addition to the above (scoping out contractors at Home Depot and Lowes at 7AM, and your current contractor referrals)... on big jobs you can also consider using a cheaper labor service (~$12/hr) for peripheral tasks, depending on the rehab.

The problem I find with retail sites like angieslist is that the majority of contractors/workers are retail focused (retail centric business model). For many vendors I find their pricing models difficult, they 'sell' too much, and some times negotiating with them is a problem since they are looking for retail prices and customers and don't adjust to meet my needs.

Corey Smith · Answer

I have actually gotten a few contractors from posting ads on craigslist. Never really used Angieslist.com. When I post an ad on Craigslist, I usually ask for pictures of work done and references, which I do call to check on.The references has to be GC's they worked for or customers they did work for, nothing less. I'm not going to say it's a flawless method to find good subs, but I will say that it has cut down on my headaches of dealing with bad subs. Good Luck!

Don Hines · Answer

I got into a major sheetrock job a couple of years ago that was beyond my talents. I searched Angie's list and was not satisfied. I haven't been into a project that major since. But, I have hundreds of names and numbers  from contractors that I have accumalated while shopping at Home Depot. Be there early in the morning and you can pretty well size them up by their crews and equipment. Our local REI club is a good source too.
Don

Jackie Patterson · Answer

Along with checking references and looking at other jobs they have done, be sure to see proof that they are licensed and have insurance.  My husband, Bill, is a licensed builder and certified green professional, so he is always the general contractor on our projects.  When looking for new subs, he makes sure that they are licensed and insured, as well as checks their references, and closely supervises them.  There are so many people right now looking for work, that anyone that can swing a hammer will put a bid in.  You may get a lower price hiring someone who doesn't carry insurance, but it can cost you in the long run if there is an accident on the job.

Jeffrey K. · Answer

Mark,

If you move your business to a new city or never have done a large project angieslist might be the only choice you have.  When I moved back to Milwaukee to start my business I got all of my labor off of angieslist.  I think the only guy left is the roofer.  Through these original guys I have met the crews that I used every day to rehab and keep my apartment buildings running.  Sometimes services that cost money are good because it brings an element of quality and regulation that a free site can't afford to provide.

Aly W. · Answer

Has anyone used local unions to find contractors - carpenters, electricians, etc.? I photographed a project for Homes for Our Troops last year, and all the donated labor came from the local unions.

The guys were all professionals, with very little work due to the economy. I chatted them up, and they are happy to do the smaller jobs for investors/homeowners.

Account Closed · Answer

I don't like angies list because their best people on there get so popular that they become negligent. With that said, I have used angies list to find a great architect that I have used ever since for some of my big projects. Most people off Angies list are just normal people lookign for a plumber to fix their toilet or something. Once they realize you are a heavy hitter their attitude changes.

Altin Velaj · Answer

I am a contractor and i usually dont work with investors. One reason only is that investors cut corners and they wont let you do your job.I should say a lot off them.on the other hand i would just go to google maps and there you will find a lot off bussineses registered. I will say that good companies often dont even use paid services .the reason is that you get a lot off calls that waste your time

AngieList.com - Who Uses Them?

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