Finding a contractor to complete home repairs, or even finding a local party planner, is now much easier than ever before with the advent of smart online directories and reviews that allow you to connect with local contractors and see the work they have recently completed in your neighborhood.
If you have never tried an online directory platform, you will be amazed at the benefits it can offer, from saving you time to ensuring you find the most reputable contractor at the price that best suits you.
Thumbtack is one such business offering this service, but there are also many others available that are great at what they do.
What is Thumbtack?
Thumbtack is an online directory service that allows users to link up with local service providers well suited to their needs. You could search for someone to paint your living room or someone to plan your next birthday party, or even someone to file a lawsuit.
It also lets users rate service providers they have used so that you can get a clear picture of their reputation before you sign up with them.
This is a website that has been running since 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. It now also has an app to make the directory easy to use on mobile devices.
However, if you’re looking for an alternative to Thumbtack, then you’ll be pleased to know there is no shortage of online resources offering this kind of service. Here we will look at some of the other companies offering similar experiences to Thumbtack that you can try out.
Angi
Website: https://www.angi.com/
This online platform was previously known as ‘Angie’s List’ after its founder Angie Hicks. It was established in Columbus, Ohio, in 1995 and so has over a quarter of a decade under its belt of pairing up consumers with service providers.
This is an easy website to use that covers all types of home update projects. Here, you can find your next interior designer to completely overhaul the look of your property or a carpet cleaner to freshen up your home flooring.
To use this website, you can search for the type of project you have and find local companies or individuals who will be able to help you. Contractors are reviewed by other people who have used them, so you can have peace of mind that you are hiring a reputable or well-established contractor.
This website sees around 5000 new reviews get posted each month, so there should be no shortage of information available on the contractor you want to hire.
There is also the option to call the Angi customer service center if you encounter an issue or deal with their complaints resolution team. This website once operated as a paid service, but it is now free to access, with some paid subscriptions available offering extra benefits.
There are also great alternatives to Angi, or Angie’s List that you might want to check out.
Gen Task
Website: http://gentask.info/
This is an online directory service that can hook you up with a service provider or contractor to complete almost any job you would like.
If you need someone to help you build some furniture, to mow your lawn, to design your business logo, or just to serve some drinks at a party, you can find them on Gen Task. This website serves 50 states.
Airtasker
Website: https://www.airtasker.com/
Airtasker is a great resource that is available across the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Singapore. It allows you to find local contractors to complete various jobs such as home removals, graphic design, pool cleaning, photography, and cooking.
You simply post a job and your budget, and you will have a selection of local pre-approved contractors contact you to discuss taking on the job. You can see reviews from other customers who have previously used those contractors and view their credentials.
Once you have agreed on a price with your chosen contractor, you pay the amount directly to Airtasker, who holds your money until the job is satisfactorily completed. Upon completion, your money will be released to the contractor.
This helps to protect both the consumer and the contractor. Airtasker is covered by third-party liability insurance to give you peace of mind against any incidents that may happen while the contractor is on your property. Once again, this is to protect both the consumer and the contractor. Airtaskers service of connecting you with your contractor is provided entirely for free.
TaskRabbit
Website: https://www.taskrabbit.com/
TaskRabbit operates across the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the UK. It is owned by the parent company IKEA and started out as a way of connecting freelance contractors with consumers who needed help building their flatpack furniture.
It has since evolved into an online platform where people can find help with almost any everyday task they like, from washing dishes to wrapping gifts.
It boasts hundreds of thousands of ‘taskers’ who have been background checked and approved to carry out a wide range of jobs and also aims to provide a budget-friendly solution to getting tasks completed that you neither have the time, ability, or inclination to do yourself.
ServiceWhale
Website: https://servicewhale.com/
ServiceWhale is an online platform that operates across Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, connecting consumers with home improvement professionals.
Here you enter your zip code and the type of project you want completed, and you will be able to get a number of custom-made quotes from local businesses. ServiceWhale was designed to make shopping for home improvements as easy as shopping for clothing online.
Due to the fact that most homeowners want 3 or 4 quotes from local traders before selecting who to use for their project, this means that the whole process of finding a contractor can take a long time. It also means that contractors only win 25 to 35% of the jobs they go out to quote for, costing them a significant amount of time, and therefore money.
ServiceWhale plans to shake up the home improvements industry, allowing contractors to quote numerous potential customers online for free, saving them valuable time and money. It also means the customer can save time and get started with their project sooner.
HomeFlock
Website: https://homeflock.com/
HomeFlock is both an online directory of contractors as well as an ever-growing record of the work they have completed. You can search this resource by zip code or city or the category of work you want completed.
If you have been recommended a contractor, you can also search them by name to find their credentials and past projects. You can connect with a contractor’s past customers to discuss the experience they had, and you can also find a local contractor and see all of the work they have completed in your neighborhood.
The aim of HomeFlock is to put homeowners in control of their home projects and provide them with all of the knowledge and information available to make the best decision when choosing a contractor.
Categories that are popular on this website include engineering, designing, landscaping, painting, flooring, plastering, and carpentry.
BidWilly
Website: https://www.bidwilly.com/
This website is operated by the BW Property Management Group, driven by the non-profit organization MyOrlandoHome.org. It works by connecting consumers with local contractors and is promoted as an affordable option for people seeking low-cost ways to get their home projects completed.
This is a very basic website that may be difficult to get to grips with initially, as the interface is not sleek or intuitive; however, once you find your way around the website, you will get the hang of it quite quickly.
It isn’t an especially pleasant user experience like you would get on other similar websites, but it may be exactly what you need if you’re finding other online directories too expensive.
To connect with contractors on this website, you will need to input your phone number, and you will then be texted a code that allows you to access the details of contractors within the directory.
The website is also geographically limited, only supplying contractors through parts of Florida; however, it is a resource that has worked well for a huge number of local residents. BidWilly boasts that as of December 2021, the resource has saved local residents $2,786,774.20 in total by connecting them with contractors who have completed home projects at as much as 60% lower than the cost they were originally quoted elsewhere.
ProReferral
Website: https://www.proreferral.com/
This is a website operated by Home Depot, which can put users across North America in touch with local contractors to complete residential and commercial projects. This is a free service, allowing you to search through all kinds of local businesses and tradespeople, receive and compare quotes, and ask questions directly.
You can find contractors in your neighborhood and see how they are rated by other local residents. ProReferral also has a downloadable app to make using the service easier on mobile devices. You can earn Home Depot loyalty points by spending on ProReferral, which is one reason why many people may choose this service over similar alternatives.
