I so hate re agents...

[TAB]

And therein is the rub. There are very few "decent" contractors out there. While I know they exist, and ARE worth their weight in gold, they are very hard to find. My wife and I had a house built 2 1/2 years ago. We researched HARD to find a contractor, This one had an A+ rating with both BBB and the local contractor association. We even talked with a couple of his previous customers. Quoted us 5 months to build and it took him over a year to finish and he came in over $100,000.00 over the "estimate". We are still finding things done wrong. He did NOT followup on his crews and some of the work looked like it was done by 9-year-olds. He left us with a very sour taste regarding contractors in general. I know there ARE good ones out there. I just wish we would have found one.

Just so you know bbb and contractor associations  are strickly  pay for good ratings.  They are for profit companys, not a goverment/ non profit.  Not a week goes by i do not get a sales call from one  of them asking for money for a higher raiting/ more exposure

[TAB]

Most home inspectors are a joke, its a 6 week class.  I know of 2 that i can recommend.  1 was a high end custom hime builder until  he got hit in his Harley  coming home from work.  He charges about 900 and is on site at least 6 hours.   The other is a retired taper.   He is about 800 and once again he spends all day.

The reports are often  200+ pages insaid of the 35-50.  They both insert the actual cose you violated in thier report.  Not just the number, but the actual code.  One does it right thier the other in a foot note.  I kid you not, either one you would be money a head flying either of thrm out, putting them in a nice hotel amd taking them to eat to get yhier reports.   I have seen thousands  of inspection reports.  These are the only 2 people i have ever seen even close.

[Jim Kennedy-ar154me]

Just so you know bbb and contractor associations  are strickly  pay for good ratings.  They are for profit companys, not a goverment/ non profit.  Not a week goes by i do not get a sales call from one  of them asking for money for a higher raiting/ more exposure

A lesson learned too late for this country boy!

[TAB]

A lesson learned too late for this country boy!

dont feel bad most people think they are some consumer watch dog group.   I have a d+ rating with them.

1 complaint after i refused to bid a kitchen for  lady.     1 complaint after i informed a guy that i could only repair what the  insurance adjuster said i could.

Both times they wanted about $600for me to re but the complaint, about 2k to ig ore the complaint and about 3k to give me a+ ratings.    I am sure i got the d+ after my lawyer sent them a cease and desist letter.   I also noticed that shortly afterward my company info was removed from thier website.  I doubt i would have won as thier raitings are per messed up standards, but i was going to make it public. 

Angies list, yelp, and several others are ll the same.

[Rastus]

That was an enlightening tidbit Tab.

[Sponsor]

[Jim Kennedy-ar154me]

dont feel bad most people think they are some consumer watch dog group.   I have a d+ rating with them.

Angies list, yelp, and several others are ll the same.

I guess like all else in life the "system" it rigged!! At least it feels that way some times. Thanks for the info.

[Timothy]

Amazon ratings, google searches, too...

[TAB]

I guess like all else in life the "system" it rigged!! At least it feels that way some times. Thanks for the info.

Its not talked about as money is being made off of them.  I know guys that spends 10k+ a year with those groups.  They say it brings in many times that in profit.  Thise guys also have big crews they like to keep busy.  Its marketing, nothing more.

I never have used marketing, never needed too.

[Jim Kennedy-ar154me]

It's not talked about as money is being made off of them.  I know guys that spend 10k+ a year with those groups.  They say it brings in many times that in profit.  These guys also have big crews they like to keep busy.  It's marketing, nothing more.

I never have used marketing, never needed too.

May I assume that word of mouth is the best advertising you can get?  I live in a more rural area now and firmly believe the further away from an urban area you get the more a man's "word" is treated as a bond. In an urban area, a man's word usually means nothing but the more rural you go the more it can be trusted. Am I just nieve?

[Timothy]

In my experience, getting referrals from the locals AND making those calls to verify is well worth the effort.

My daughter is currently suffering from using friends (fair weather type) to help with their renovation.