The Front Porch › The Short List
Anybody can Google a plumber. What you can’t Google is whether I’ve sent forty clients to one, and whether I’ll pick up the phone when he doesn’t show. Nobody pays to be on this list — they earn the spot, you rate them after every job, and two bad reviews takes them off.
Nobody on this list pays me, and I don’t take referral fees. That’s deliberate — the moment money changes hands the recommendation is worth nothing to you. They’re here because they showed up, did the work, and didn’t leave a mess.
A vetted list is only worth something if it’s actually maintained. Two things keep it honest, and both of them are you.
Takes about ten seconds. Did they show up when they said? Was the final bill the quoted bill? Would you use them again? Two bad reports and they come off the list — no warnings, no second chances, because my name is on this.
Rate a vendorIf you’ve got a plumber or an electrician who’s been good to you for years, tell me. I’ll call them, check their license and insurance, and send a client or two before they ever show up on this page.
Suggest a vendorHalf the time the hard part is figuring out whether it’s a foundation problem or a drainage problem. Send me a photo and I’ll tell you who to call — or that it can wait.