Angie's List?

Has anyone tried Angie's List to find workers and contractors for home improvement? Did you get your money's worth? Would you recommend it to others? The website of the Los Angeles chapter shows 21,462 members and 20,690 companies listed.

Comments

[Tataone]

We used Angie's list to build a gate. It was done wrong & we told Angie's list & the guy came back & tried to fix it but it was worse. We called Angie's List again & filed a complaint. We did get our money back BUT Angie's list did not list our complaints or problems with his listing. And he shows as a four star worker. We noted none of the workers had negative comments

[Chuck]

Better yet check out the Franklin Report for Los Angeles. They are well respected in New York.
http://www.franklinreport.com/default.aspx?m=LAX

[T.P.]

I used to think Angie's List was the answer to regular people like me to avoid the bad contractors because they'd said their reviews were only from homeowners, no businesses. They're supposed to be on the side of the consumer. I'm not so sure about that.

I'd written an even-handed review about a company, Knight Landscape Construction, that did some work for us. I gave them an overall grade of a "C" but said I wouldn't hire them again. Knight called Angie's List and they gave them my name. The company then proceeded to contact me and harrassed me to either edit or delete my review. I wouldn't do it. They finally got Angie's List to do it because I'd written the review more than 18 months after the work was done. I told Angie's List that that doesn't make any sense. An experience is an experience and the mere fact that they kept trying to get me to delete the review, with Angie's List's knowledge, should allow me to leave the review on there, if not updated with the new info about the company's attitude. Angie's List sided with the company and deleted my review so now the company has a perfect record.

How does that make you feel about Angie's List or the landscaping company? Who will know?

[PhyllisHarb]

Yes, I am a member of Angies list and as a realtor I am constantly asked for referrals; I find it worthwhile and the vendors my clients have used have been good.

[PhyllisHarb]

As a realtor, I have also compiled my own vendor list. HarbsList.com
but it is not as extensive as AngiesList

[jeff]

I've used Angie's List several times and have been happy with the results. But you need to look at the listings with several reviews to get an accurate sense of the company. Just like any customer feedback site (such as Amazon), you really need to read the reviews carefully (and read between the lines) because the grade might not match the comments, or the copy reads like a breathless advert probably done by friends or family of the reviewee.

[Kasey from Angie's List]

In response to Trinh Nguyen-Pauly:

We’re a little surprised to see this commenter’s response because our CEO himself worked with her to ensure her report was made available to members. Angie’s List policy is to post reports on companies only if the report is submitted within a year of work being performed. In this case, he reminded Ms. Nguyen-Pauly that she could update her report to reflect activity beyond that original deadline. Ms. Nguyen-Pauly’s report is posted on Angie’s List and is available for members. A response from the company was posted on September 28, 2007. As we said before, posting both sides of the story makes Angie’s List as fair as possible – for both members and service companies. - Kasey from Angie’s List

[T.P.]

Update:

After I posted the comment on 9/8/07 out of frustration with the standard responses I was getting at Angie's List, I was able to get in touch with Angie's List CEO. He actually answered my email and called me himself. He was helpful and together, we came up with a solution that satisfied my main concerns. I am now back to using AL and have found 2 great companies on their list for different services.

[anonymous]

Angie's List is a sham. Great that they are making money from a community service that could be done by a thoughtful community of homeowners.

And they obviously have employees policing what is said about the company.

I thought it would be a good service to try out. I put in my email address but never signed up because of the high cost to join; which I found out after I gave them my email address. Never have I gotten so much junk mail from any other company.

[Blogman]

They have a good overall concept, but they're way too expensive. Workpost.com hopes to be the go to site where consumers can post work, find contractors, read what others have had to say, and review the contractor they used once the job is complete.