ILiveInFlipFlops Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I mean, logically, I know that it's normal and maybe even expected, but I feel bad, like I'm wasting or have wasted someone's time. We need a furnace repair, and I think the guy who was here this morning was overpriced and definitely overacting. I want to call someone else, but I'm feeling a little guilty. How do you even find someone reliable? How do you know who to trust? We had another company here to replace our hot water heater a few years ago, and DH found out later (after talking to some of the professionals on his job site) that we overpaid by quite a bit. They're the major provider in this area, so he doesn't want to call them again, and the guy that was here this morning was from probably the second biggest company in the area. Argh! I hate home repairs. If it didn't involve gas connections, I'd let DH take a shot at it himself. ETA: What's the best route for calling in a second opinion? Do I tell them I know what is wrong? Do I tell them they're a second opinion and kind of let them know I'm expecting a competitive rate? Is there a best way to handle this? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I know what you mean. I needed to have some work done too once and had NO idea how much it would cost. I got someone out to measure and give an estimate, and discovered it cost quite a bit more than I thought - well, I just wasted his time. If only he could have given me a ball-park est. over the phone I could have saved us all a couple of hours. So, if you know you have several coming up in the next year consider joining Angie's List. There's you'll not only find a list of contractors/repair co. but also people's reviews AND an estimate of how much it cost for them to get their work done. This was very helpful to me when figuring out how much it might cost to put an addition on our deck. This gave me some time to save up and prepare my dh :) Anyway, it does cost money to join... and they do often send out special's and have coupons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5of5 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 No, it's a cost of business. Are you in a big or small population area? For larger communities, Angie's List may be a possibility. Otherwise, I'd ask people you trust for their experiences and recommendations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Don't feel guilty. Yes, you should get a second opinion especially if you feel like you might have been over-priced. If you've recently moved to a new area finding the right person can take a while. Usually asking around is a good way to find someone good, but if you're new to the area you might not know who to ask. Plus, asking a friend for a referral can be tricky too. "Oh I know John from church and he's super-nice, call him." But John might be nice but not the best person for the job and not the best price. Also, keep in mind price is not the only factor to consider. Competence is nice too. I was burned on that when we first moved here and got a lousy plumber. Get a second opinion, guilt-free. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I just went on FB and asked for recommendations for who to use (or avoid) for getting our gutters replaced. I expect to get a few estimates before hubby caves in to the inevitable and agrees to get them done (leaking like sieves!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 My former dh was in construction. He always recommended his clients get 3 estimates and contact references. Word of mouth was his best advertising, so I'd ask around if you can. Also, once we find someone we try to stay with that person or company. Our furnace was new a few years ago and that's the company we've used to service the one issue we had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 I just went on FB and asked for recommendations for who to use (or avoid) for getting our gutters replaced. I expect to get a few estimates before hubby caves in to the inevitable and agrees to get them done (leaking like sieves!) I started to, but a friend's family is in the industry and...it may cause a problem. I wish I could ask around in person, but the problem has ramped up and now the heat won't stay on at all. OK, I joined Angie's List (for the month; if we find it useful, I'll join for longer) and called for a second opinion with a highly rated company. They charge a crazy diagnostic fee, but the other places do too. I'm irritated that now I'm paying two fees though *sigh* I guess I'll consider it money well spent if I can find a service provider that I trust. Thank you, everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 No, it's a cost of business. Are you in a big or small population area? For larger communities, Angie's List may be a possibility. Otherwise, I'd ask people you trust for their experiences and recommendations. 5of5, I joined for just a single month, because DH does a lot around here himself. But if we go ahead and get a longer membership, I'll get back to you for some referral information, because I think there's a referral reward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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