Homstars.com
- Thread starter miles@divas
- Start date
FWIW, I have two friends whose business' rely on homestars.com for the bulk of their business. They both ask me, and anyone they know to provide fake shill reviews. They have hired people who manage their reviews and will create, write and maintain the review on my/our behalf's, they just want to paper their backside in case homestars does an audit and wishes to contact the reviewer.
Now, these two guys are both good contractors and fair etc. I'd hire them. But I wouldn't go along with their fake reviews and find the whole site suspect as a result.
With that being said is probably works better for the contractor than it does for the consumer.
I have used them a few times over the years and they asked if I was satisfied with their service. I told them I was and they asked if I'd mind writing a review so I said not at all. If the service wasn't good and I wasn't satisfied I would never have done it.
I've used them a couple times to hire basic handy men and was happy with their work.
I wish I used them when I was looking for a big reno project since if I had read the reviews I would not have hhired/had the same bad experience.
Like terb.... take it with a grain of salt. If you have the time I'm still a fan of pick three that look good and get three quotes.
I wish I used them when I was looking for a big reno project since if I had read the reviews I would not have hhired/had the same bad experience.
Like terb.... take it with a grain of salt. If you have the time I'm still a fan of pick three that look good and get three quotes.
Use caution. It has become more an advertising site than a real review board. The best way to find a contractor is still to get a recommendation from someone you trust and with what quality work is.
If you are Toronto, just say that you're getting building permits when calling and you'll weed out most of the bad contractors.
If you are Toronto, just say that you're getting building permits when calling and you'll weed out most of the bad contractors.
they just want to paper their backside in case homestars does an audit and wishes to contact the reviewer.
Homestars have no right to audit anyone.
Homestars have no right to audit anyone.
It sure does!
It is the main (90%) source of their business in a very competitive specialty of homeowner contracting.
It sure does!
It is the main (90%) source of their business in a very competitive specialty of homeowner contracting.
LOL! It is their website! They have have a review-review process. And they have the right to remove any review they feel is fraudulent.
Thanks for the insight! I started this thread because I was looking for someone to do my basement, but now you made me want to advertise on that site. Before I do do you know of any sites that are better than Homestars for advertising? They sure aren't cheap!
The second part I'd assume is a good idea. Sounds like it would work.
However if I was in a position to need to get a recommendation from someone who I trust and has had work done, never mind if they are qualified to give an opinion as to if the work is good, I would up a creek of feces and lacking a manual means of propulsion.
I wrote a bad review on a AC company that was extremely well reviewed on there. They didn't return calls, missed appointments, badly scratched my walls and were rude to me. I was served with a petty law suit as a result and Homestars deleted the review because it was in litigation; I wouldn't trust all the reviews on there.
Yea I guess when companies are paying (minimum $1800/year - maximum $36 000/year) that will taint the water so to speak. who wants to lose a $36 000 client? They should have a free site where people can review contractors.
I use it, but I don't take the reviews as gospel. As others have pointed out, businesses will routinely shill themselves (though not as many as some would have you believe). I've also written some reviews on there and can tell you that (based on the amount of activity before and after my review) it's not likely the contractors I was using every shilled themselves.
I find that it's handy for figuring out how much you can expect to pay for a certain service. Also the negative reviews are handy as they help eliminate those who you do NOT want to work with.
