How do you find the best, top rated service providers on Cape Cod?

Step #1 Get Free Quotes

Get multiple FREE quotes from qualified service providers.
For the best results submit your requests to all the applicable sites below. This way you can be sure you will get the best price quotes for your project.

1.  Service Magic - Up to 4 Free quotes on your project- Free

"Service providers are thoroughly screened before being included. If something goes wrong, we'll help you communicate with your service professional.

Service Magic has helped make more than 12 million matches between consumers and service professionals in more than 500 home-related services."

Click Here for Free quotes from Service Magic!

2. Estimate Magic - Free Quotes on Select Projects* - Free

"Get matched and receive estimates from
pre-screened contractors in your neighborhood.
Don't tackle your home improvement project
alone! Let us match you with professional
contractors in your area who will come to your
home and give you a FREE ESTIMATE for your
project. *For the following projects only please: Bathroom Remodeling, Basement Refinishing, HVAC, Kitchen Remodeling, Remodeling Room Additions, Sunrooms, Roofing, Siding, Windows."

Click Here for Free quotes from Estimate Magic!

"Broadcast Your Need. Free & Non-binding. Compare Offers. Pick the offer that accepts your terms. Have service professionals come to you with competitive bids rather than you searching for them. Post your service need, and the appropriate local service providers are notified immediately. While you relax, service providers will place bids and send you messages regarding your need. For your convenience, you’ll get email notification anytime interested professionals respond to your request. Bottom-line: you choose your favorite provider and quote."

Click Here for Free quotes from MiNeeds!

4. CraigsList - Free Services Wanted Ads - Free

Post your needs in a free classified ad and receive responses via email. Craigslist is a very popular site and you never can be sure who you are dealing with at first.

Here is the right way to hire a service provider off Craigslist: Post a services wanted ad and just receive responses. No browsing through ads or searching. Just post your ad and get responses. Never post your email address or phone number in the ad itself. Use the anonymous email address feature to hide your real email address. Any professional service provider that responds to your want ad will include their contact info in their email response. This way you can research them before you decide to reply.

Click Here to post a Free services wanted ad on CraigsList!

Ok, our free requests have been submitted. Now we while we wait for the responses, we can move on to the next step, research ...

Step #2 Research

Thoroughly researching the service providers information is always a good idea. Most of the quote responses we get from the providers will be from providers that are "pre-screened" by the matching services listed above (with the exception of Craigslist), but we still definitely want to check them out.

About Angie's List: Angie's List is a highly regarded service and works the opposite way as the sites above. Customers can either hire and review someone from the reviews on the Angie's List website itself, or they can add reviews for services they have hired from other sources.

They do charge a small membership fee, but considering the potential headaches and money you can save for about $15 a year it's a great deal. You can also try it out for a month for a little more than $5. Plus you can use the promo code LOCAL to save 15%. Check it out below.

1. Angie's List - Get the inside scoop from your neighbors - $ (membership)

"Companies don't pay to be on Angie's List. No anonymous reviews. Companies respond to reports, so you get the whole story. The Complaint Resolution Team will intercede if a home repair or health experience goes bad. Low membership fees considering the headaches and money you can save.

More than a million members use Angie's List to find high quality service companies and health care professionals in over 500 categories. From plumbers and painters to dentists and dermatologists, reviews come directly from homeowners in your area.

As seen on: CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Redbook, Real Simple, USA Weekend, Parade magazine, Good Housekeeping, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Money and the Wall Street Journal.

Click Here to Join Angie's List!

2. Google - Thorough Googling of providers info - Free

Complete search of every detail you have from any of your potential service providers.

This means we are going to search for business name, person's name, phone numbers, email addresses everything you have. If there are any online complaints, reviews or other information that we might like to see Google should find it for us.

Click Here to Search with Google!

3. State Requirements - Mass. State License search - Free

Find out if a license is required for the person we are going to hire. If a license is required search for the licensee by city, zip code and name. When contractors register with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, they must make a contribution to the Guaranty Fund. Consumers may be eligible for reimbursements through the fund should something go wrong during the construction process.

The State of MA Consumer Affairs Office handles consumer inquiries and licensing for most of the services that require the service provider be licensed.

Click Here to Lookup License Requirements!

4. US Search - Run Background Checks - $

Complete background check search includes current address, phone number, address history, bankruptcies, civil judgments, liens, criminal background records and more. If you are going to be putting a lot of trust into your service provider and it's going to be an expensive job, you may want to dig a little deeper by running a quick background check. US Search's Intelligent People Search & Background Check solution accesses billions of public records, returning only the most accurate and relevant results available online today. US Search is your trusted people search and background check resource.

Click Here to run Background Checks on US Search!

Step #3 - Hire the Right Service Provider

We have submitted our project. We received some quotes. We did our research and we have narrowed down our field of potential service providers.

Now it's decision time. Here is a quick checklist:

*Make sure that if the service you need requires a license that the company you hire is licensed to perform the work.

*Always ask for local references from real customers with phone numbers, do not rely solely on reviews from the internet.

*Make sure the provider carries the necessary insurance. If they use subcontractors, make sure the subs are licensed and insured as well.

*Use your best judgment at this point. Who do you like and who do you think is going to do the best job for the best price?

*Remember when choosing a provider based on price, most times you get what you pay for.

Good luck!