Despite the
economic recession, nearly 80 percent of polled Angie’s List members are
forging ahead with their home improvement
projects for 2009, according to the nationwide poll of 1,637 Angie’s List
members conducted over the Independence Day weekend:
- 36 percent said the economy has not affected
their home improvement plans for 2009;
- 29 percent said they scaled back on their plans;
- 22 percent said they nixed their home improvement
plans altogether due to the economy.
- 11 percent said they took advantage of good deals
and kept to their original plans; and
- 2 percent said they had taken advantage of good
deals and expanded on them.
“Nearly 60 percent of our
members reported in the poll that they will spend as much or more this year
than they did in 2008, which we hope is an indication of economic recovery,”
Hicks said. “More than 80 percent of them plan to hire a professional to
do the job. We’re strongly encouraging them to do their research to find
reliable and quality help so their project goes as well as it can.”
There’s another piece of good
news for service professionals in the mid-year poll, she said. “More than
two-thirds of our members said they will pay for their home improvement project
in cash,” Hicks added.
“For many of us, our home is
our biggest asset, so taking care of it and investing in it just makes good
sense,” said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List (www.angieslist.com), the nation’s leading provider of consumer
reviews. “Even if a return on the investment is years away, homeowners can
enjoy their improvements while they way wait for the housing market to rebound.”
Angie’s List
annually polls its members in December to determine their spending plans for
the coming year. The July poll was designed to determine if the economic
conditions had put a damper on spending plans. For anyone planning to hire home
improvement experts, it’s important they find a qualified contractor. Angie’s
List offers the following tips to hire good contractors and avoid the
unqualified ones:
- Avoid door-to-door contractors: Only use local contractors with a local address.
Avoid door-to-door solicitors and those who only accept cash payments,
offer discounts for finding customers or pressure you to make a quick
decision.
- Check references: Get names of previous customers and find out if
they were pleased with the work and the timeline of the project, as well
as if they’d hire the contractor again. Visit the job sites if possible.
Get the names of subcontractors and ask if they work with the contractor
often and if he or she pays on time.
- Get estimates: Take the time to get at least three different estimates for your
job. And get it in writing – documentation is often the best ammunition
you have if things go wrong. If you have to pay for it, be sure the fee
comes off your final bill if you hire that contractor. Also, ask for
a guarantee on an estimate. A good contractor will be willing to
guarantee their price for 30 days.
- License for hire: Some states or cities have no licensing
requirements for contractors, which can make it difficult for homeowners
to check up on contractors before they hire. Don’t rely on the
contractor’s word to know whether his or her license is valid: check it
out through the appropriate agency in your area.
- Insured & bonded: Check the status of the contractor’s bonding and
liability insurance coverage too.
- Review all aspects of the contract before you
sign. Never sign a contract
containing blank spaces. Know the details of the contract, as well as how
any change orders will be handled. Check that your contract includes a
lien waiver, covering payments to all subcontractors who worked on the
project.
If you run into
problems:
- Speak up: Let
the contractor know you’re unhappy. Ask him or her to take specific action
to remedy the situation.
- Follow up with a letter. Keep records of all written correspondence as well
as receipts, canceled checks and credit card statements. If a business
requests documents, send a copy, never an original. Keep a log of all
conversations, including the date and time of the call, what was said and
who you spoke with.
- If all else fails, file a complaint: Report suspected unethical or illegal behavior to
the proper authorities
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Angie’s List is where thousands
of consumers share their ratings and reviews on local contractors and companies
in more than 425 different categories. Currently, more than 750,000 consumers
across the U.S.
rely on Angie’s List to help them find the right contractor or company for the
job they need done. Members have unlimited access to the list via Internet or
phone; receive the award-winning Angie’s List magazine, which includes articles
on home improvement and maintenance, consumer trends and scam alerts; and they
can utilize the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Get more information
about Angie’s List at http://www.angieslist.com View the latest Angie's List News Releases in our Press Center and read Angie’s blog at http://www.angiehicksblog.com.