Saying Hello to Angie's List

During a beautiful spring evening when there was a relaxing stretch of visiting and chatting time up on the upstairs porch, conversation turned to the long list of "things" that still need to be done to the house. I've had two years now since the substantial end of the major addition and first phase of renovation to make quite a list of the untackled stuff.

I was all set to get moving on the big things of plaster repair, painting/wallpaper, and hardwood floor refinishing, back last summer. I got bids for everything and just needed to get Dwight Love, my would-be plasterer, to get cranking. But he kept putting me off and delaying, and then the travel season kicked in again, and I wasn't able to get him on the job.

It occurs to me that my schedule doesn't really lend itself to putting all the mini jobs together, anyway. What I need is to get myself another general contractor who can take care of it all.

And then I thought about Angie's List, which advertises heavily on NPR. And I joined. And I looked up general contractors and tree services and made contact with three of each. I've gotten bids from and now chosen a company to remove those terrible trash trees on the rear retaining wall.

And I've met with one general contractor, am scheduled to meet with another, and am still waiting for a call back from a third. Interested in the lengthy list? Click here.