http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... ealEstate/
The above URL is to an article I read this afternoon in the Globe and Mail which was titled in bold "Why you can't find a good contractor on the Web". But actually 90% of contractors/vendor's I've used, I've found on the web using referrals from my neighbours in Hawthorne Village online here. I think Mike should have mentioned discussion forums, such as his own, as a good web resource to assist people looking for advice about contractors and/or home renovations. The article only mentions web directories of contractors or private contractor websites, which with I agree with Mike Holmes in those 2 being not the best way to find a contractor.
I sent him the below email after reading his article
Quote:
Hi Mike,
I read your article today called "Why you can't find a good contractor
on the Web". You mentioned online directories and websites by
individual contractors but one important internet resource tool you
didn't talk about is online discussion forums. I believe it is
possible to find a good contractor on the web with well moderated
discussion forums that specialize in homes and/or home
renovations.
I moderate one myself, http://www.hawthornevillager.com/phpbb/ which
is based on the Hawthorne Village community in Milton, Ontario. Some
of our forum members have been on your show, or say they work for
companies on your show. An example being the below post from the
homeowners that were on your "Wall of Sound" show.
http://www.hawthornevillager.com/phpbb/ ... 9&start=15
The main benefit with these web forums is reading the experiences of
your neighbours. You can review both positive and negative referrals,
and ask people directly about their experience with a contractor.
Contractors can post themselves, but users usually tend to go with the
contractor that has the most positive referals from real people in the
forum that they can communicate with online. The discussion forum
makes a third-party neutral ground where both contractors and
homeowners give their insight and opinions.
You yourself, have a popular discussion forum , http://www.mikeholmesfanforum.com/ which has been up since 2005, and uses the same
forum software (phpbb) as http://HawthorneVillager.com/phpbb/ which has
been up since 2004
Best regards,
- Rick
I read your article today called "Why you can't find a good contractor
on the Web". You mentioned online directories and websites by
individual contractors but one important internet resource tool you
didn't talk about is online discussion forums. I believe it is
possible to find a good contractor on the web with well moderated
discussion forums that specialize in homes and/or home
renovations.
I moderate one myself, http://www.hawthornevillager.com/phpbb/ which
is based on the Hawthorne Village community in Milton, Ontario. Some
of our forum members have been on your show, or say they work for
companies on your show. An example being the below post from the
homeowners that were on your "Wall of Sound" show.
http://www.hawthornevillager.com/phpbb/ ... 9&start=15
The main benefit with these web forums is reading the experiences of
your neighbours. You can review both positive and negative referrals,
and ask people directly about their experience with a contractor.
Contractors can post themselves, but users usually tend to go with the
contractor that has the most positive referals from real people in the
forum that they can communicate with online. The discussion forum
makes a third-party neutral ground where both contractors and
homeowners give their insight and opinions.
You yourself, have a popular discussion forum , http://www.mikeholmesfanforum.com/ which has been up since 2005, and uses the same
forum software (phpbb) as http://HawthorneVillager.com/phpbb/ which has
been up since 2004
Best regards,
- Rick