Where Do Homeowners Go To Find Good Contractors?

The internet has flourished over the past 20 years, providing each and every one of us with the ability to research almost any topic ranging from cars and vacations to real estate, restaurants and yes, home improvement contractors.

And, as a result of the widespread use of the internet and social media, numerous websites and businesses have sprung up that allow homeowners to get "reviews" and "referrals" for any contractor in any industry from coast to coast. However, if you're a homeowner who is looking for a contractor to work in your home, it's important to ask yourself "How trustworthy are these recommendations?"

There are a few things to consider when going online to hire a contractor:

1. Did the contractor pay to have his company's name listed?
2. Does the website or business charge the contractor a lead fee for the referral?
3. Has the company met the contractors personally and/or visited their work?
4. Who is writing their online contractor reviews?

In response to questions #1 and #2, most of the contractor lead generation or referral businesses you can find online, charge an upfront fee or a lead fee to contractors which immediately compromises their recommendation.

In response to question #3, the company making the recommendation is generally based in another state and has never met a contractor personally or seen his work.

And, in response to question #4, online reviews of contractors-good or bad-can be written by anyone (even by the contractor himself!) and, in most cases, cannot be substantiated.

However, Homeowner Referral Network (HRN) businesses are different. HRN's are local and foster personal relationships with both the contractors and homeowners they serve. HRN owners don't simply refer a contractor but they can tell you what time their crews generally show up to begin work, how often they run over budget on a job and how clean they keep a jobsite. And, HRN owners stay in touch with homeowners throughout the course of the project to ensure that the job goes smoothly and to maintain ongoing quality control on the contractors that they represent.

Likewise, HRN owners match contractors to the jobs they want based on their areas of expertise, location and availability which makes the service more valuable to them.

While the internet can certainly be a valuable resource for information, it can't replace a personal recommendation from a trusted, validated, local business owner which is exactly what the HRN business is!