What: Digital marketplace aiming to connect homeowners with prescreened, local service professionals to carry out home improvement, maintenance, and remodeling
Expected pay: Varies by the job
Commissions & fees: $350/year + an undisclosed additional amount for “leads”
Where: Nationwide
Requirements: Over 18, valid credit card
Review:
PROS:
- None Found
CONS:
- $350 annual “pro” subscription to list your services on the site
- The site doesn’t specify the cost for each lead; costs “vary based on service type and location”
- Contractors have said a lead is never a job guarantee
- Hundreds of contractors have complained about HomeAdvisor’s leads to the Better Business Bureau
- Many claims saying leads are bogus (The leads, usually costing the contractor $20 to $30 each, connect to disconnected phone numbers; consumers who say they never asked for home help; or consumers who are looking for a service that the contractor doesn’t provide)
- When you register, even if you are on the Do Not Call registry or have asked them not to contact you in the past, you will be inundated with marketing, in addition to receiving contact about “leads”
- Per the Terms & Conditions of the site, special deals offered by the site (usually offers that are significant discounts to your normal rate) require you to honor the offer and the job must be accepted regardless
HustleVida suggests listing your services on free websites such as CraigsList or Nextdoor. If you’re just getting your home improvement business going, Takl or JiffyOnDemand are better alternatives.
What Users Say: (From the Better Business Bureau)
BBB files indicate that this business has a pattern of complaints concerning product, refund, customer service and billing issues. Complaints submitted to BBB allege the following:
– The leads received by the business customers (Service Professionals) are “bad” or “poor” quality, including leads with invalid contact information, leads not relevant to the industry, or leads outside the customer’s service area.
– When requesting refunds for leads, customers are told they do not qualify for a refund even though the leads meet the criteria that would allow for a refund.
– Customer accounts are charged without consent or while they believed their service to be paused.
– When signing up for services, customers allege that they are told that spending limits could be set for leads that would not be exceeded. Although a spending limit was set, customers were charged over that limit and told the limit was a reference point.
– HomeAdvisor staff are difficult to reach, “rude” or “harassing” in tone, and refuse to cancel accounts causing additional charges to the customer without their knowledge.
