How to find rain gutter installer?

[ilikegunspdx]

Used to use Angie's list to find contractors back in the day but now seems like a lot of fly by night businesses there? Looking for Portland area. Want to find a business where the owner does it or is involved not a guy that comes out to visit and then some totally different company shows up at random later.

Appreciate any ideas how to find contractors. I assume yellow pages don't work anymore? Thanks for any help or leads. Cheers!

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[Certaindeaf]

Used to use Angie's list to find contractors back in the day but now seems like a lot of fly by night businesses there? Looking for Portland area. Want to find a business where the owner does it or is involved not a guy that comes out to visit and then some totally different company shows up at random later.

Appreciate any ideas how to find contractors. I assume yellow pages don't work anymore? Thanks for any help or leads. Cheers!

I'd call a roofing/ gutter supply house and ask them for some names for what you're looking for.. that are of course licensed and bonded.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Used to use Angie's list to find contractors back in the day but now seems like a lot of fly by night businesses there? Looking for Portland area. Want to find a business where the owner does it or is involved not a guy that comes out to visit and then some totally different company shows up at random later.

Appreciate any ideas how to find contractors. I assume yellow pages don't work anymore? Thanks for any help or leads. Cheers!

Also, most all gutter installs I've seen are by the crew moonlighting after hours with the boss's gutter forming rig, name and materials.. cheap! Good luck.

 

[albin25]

Well, the last time I had new gutters installed, I just looked in the Yellow Pages.



Good gosh… I'm old !

 

[WAYNO]

Seems it should be so simple. But it no longer is.
Even the big/old names of the past for fencing, roofing, gutters, are manned by whatever crew the company could hire for the day at the casual labor camp.

I have tried using Angie's List for the above services, and have been pummeled by fly by night estimates. When I do settle on one, I have been disappointed, each time.

 

[Old Dog]

I have tried using Angie's List for the above services and have been pummeled by fly by night estimates. When I do settle on one, I have been disappointed, each time.

I feel you, found flooring installers (for our large kitchen) on Angie's List (actually the wife did, trying to go cheap), never again. Would've done it myself, but I was recovering from surgery. Owner talked a good game, but of the crew that came out, only one of the guys spoke even barely comprehensible English, the result was crappy and I'm gonna have to get it re-done. What I don't understand is how some of these folks get decent reviews on their websites, Yelp and Google.

Since I don't trust the internet reviews, I have the wife go on her Nextdoor neighborhood website and ask for recommendations (usually the first person that answers says, "You should use Angie's List") but we're then able to actually talk to someone who's had work done, which has worked for a couple jobs where we got good service and results.

 

[gmerkt]

One way to deal with tradesmen directly is to spot their vehicles in the parking lot of Home Depot. Then contact them directly. That way you eliminate any shady front companies (that can actually be of some size and long in business) who sneakily use subs and don't tell you. If you deal with the actual tradesmen themselves, you can insist on certain terms of business and how the job will play out. With pay at the end after compliance.

Don't be afraid to use workers from south of the border. In my experience, their work is usually as good or better as that done by LL's (lazy locals). Just make sure they have insurance and L&I (workmen's comp) insurance. I call their insurance reference and the L&I office to verify. Because previously, I've been shown documents that weren't current, meaning in suspension due to lack of payment). It's amazing how many people don't do this and risk an on-property injury lawsuit.

I've always got a story to tell. A neighbor wanted some tree work done. He called one of the major, mass advertising tree trimming businesses around here. They sent out a scratch crew, sub contractor who was trimming trees using ladders (real pros never do this). Sure enough, one of the workers fell off a ladder, landed on a concrete foundation that was part of a construction project, and broke his back. There were paramedics involved, my neighbor's property was closed off while L&I investigators came out and went over the scene. The big front company was on the hook because the subs were doing the work under contract.