Angie’s List used to be a paid subscription website that offers reviews of local businesses, and now it’s basic membership is to free for all! Scott Durchslag, Angie’s List CEO and Angie Hicks, Angie’s List Founder and CMO announced that the site is now free to join at an official launch event in New York City recently. This change allows for access to the more than 10 million verified reviews on home service professionals that Angie’s List has garnered over its 21
year history.

Angie’s is especially helpful for moms such as myself, who have no experience at all when it comes to contractors. Home maintenance and building facilities services can be incredibly expensive when dealing with: carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, chimney cleaners, asbestos examiners, etc.  Whether you’re working from home, or at the office, there’s just not enough time to do the research in determining qualified people to do moving, plumbing, tiles, or cleaning out the AC. That’s when Angie’s List comes in, so its members can find contractors based on ratings. Angie’s list gives its members an idea of a provider’s: price, quality, responsiveness, punctuality and professionalism. A description of each company comes with customer reviews from the consumers who have used them.

For members who will be completing multiple home repairs, there are also two new premium membership tiers that are now available, offering guarantees and value-added services beyond those reviews available in the Green level membership.

• Silver: includes all green features plus Angie’s Fair Price Guarantee and Angie’s Service Quality Guarantee, exclusive discounts, chat and email customer support, a bimonthly print version of the magazine for $24.99 a year.
• Gold: includes all green and silver features plus complaint resolution process and customer support via phone for $99.99 a year.

Benefits planned to be added in the coming quarters include tools for project pricing, scheduling and financing (through partnerships), handyman chat line, a home emergency service line, instant hiring, as well as eCommerce savings.

Here are useful stats of various types of services:

HOUSE CLEANING: Don’t like making the bed or cleaning in general? You’re not alone. Angie’s List has 9,047 housecleaning services with
verified consumer reviews; 444 in NYC.

INTERIOR DESIGN TIPS: Here are a few popular ways to change your home’s interior:

• Statement rugs: Make a rug the focal point of a room or hallway.
• Use paper: Bold prints and geometric designs make wallpaper one of the most popular ways to update and redecorate a room.
• Mix and match: Mix and match metals, bedding or an antique with traditional or contemporary décor for interesting appeal.
• Off the wall: Take furniture off the wall and move toward the center for an intimate vibe.
• Furniture face lift: Give furniture a new look by reupholstering with a new color, print or texture.
• New neutral: Replace commonly used neutral colors with gray. The color can be used in any room in the house for a modern appeal.
• Knock it down: Removing walls between the kitchen and adjoining rooms dramatically changes the look of a home.

Don’t know what to ask when looking for an interior designer? Here are a few questions to ask before making a hiring decision:

• Can you estimate how long the project will take?
• What services will you perform?
• Do you have a portfolio of previous work?

REMODELING TIP: If you have any construction or remodeling work happening, always save the floor refinishing until the very end and plan to
interview at least three contractors and look at their portfolio of work before deciding on who to go with.

MOVING:

• Angie’s List has verified reviews on 6,107 movers nationwide; 400 in NYC.
• Nearly 40 million people move each year; 38 percent of those who hired a mover told Angie’s List they were unhappy with the process.
• About 20 percent of moves include some damage claim. All movers must assume liability for the value of the goods they transport, and they
  offer two types of valuation.
• “Released value” is a no-cost option that provides minimal protection for homeowners. It requires movers to cover any damages at 60 cents per
  pound, per article. Movers settle claims based on the weight of the damaged item, so 60 cents per pound for a 100-pound television would net
  only $60.
• Full replacement protection is more comprehensive and expensive but it covers the actual cost of the items. Movers are responsible for repairing, replacing or paying you for the damaged item.
• Consider moving highly valuable items like jewelry or fragile items yourself to avoid the stress of potential damage.

HIRING A MOVER TIPS:

• While most movers don’t expect a tip, for small or local moves that go well an appropriate tip would be $10-$20 tip per mover. For larger moves
  that go well, an appropriate tip would be $20-$50 per mover.
• Three of the biggest red flags of a disreputable mover are requiring a large down payment, offering suspiciously low rates, and refusing to
  provide an on-site estimate.
• Avoid getting scammed by: i) Getting an in-person estimate; ii) Paying with a credit card; iii) Checking online reviews for performance history; iv)
  Not hiring movers with unmarked vehicles; v) Getting everything in writing; and vi) Taking pictures of your belongings before you let the mover
  move them.

WINDOWS/FURNITURE:

• Did you know that replacing the windows in your home can result in at least a 70% ROI when you go to sell? Check out Angie’s List to find a
  certified window contractor near you.
• Just spilled wine on your best friend’s upholstered furniture? Heads up – the cost of upholstery cleaning typically runs between $30 and $150
  depending on the size of the piece.

KITCHEN:

• Plumbing is the most requested home services category on Angie’s List and always has been.
• Nearly 118,500 verified reviews on general plumbing projects were made to Angie’s List in 2015.
• Angie’s List has more than 26,712 plumbing companies with verified reviews nationwide; 1,504 in NYC.
• The average kitchen remodel costs about $55,000 and can yield an 85% ROI. Check out angieslist.com for hundreds of tips and tricks for
  doing a kitchen remodel the right way.
• One of the biggest costs are kitchen cabinets – there can easily be a $15,000 difference between various designs and manufacturers for just
  30 ft. of semi-custom cabinets. Save on remodeling by refinishing cabinet doors or jazzing up the handles.

KITCHEN TIPS:

• Pro Tip: To keep your disposal clean, turn on cold water, run the disposal, toss in some ice cubes to break up debris, add some chopped
  lemon rinds! Don’t grind nonfood items, egg shells, celery or other fibrous foods, pasta, rice or potatoes. Unclogging a kitchen drain can cost
  around $200.
• The average kitchen remodel costs about $55,000 and can yield an 85% ROI. Check out angieslist.com for hundreds of tips and tricks for
  doing a kitchen remodel the right way.
• One of the biggest costs are kitchen cabinets – there can easily be a $15,000 difference between various designs and manufacturers for just
  30 ft. of semi-custom cabinets. Save on remodeling by refinishing cabinet doors or jazzing up the handles.
• Repair the fridge when: i) It’s under warranty; ii) Repairs are minor and will extend the life for several years; iii) Repairs are extensive and add up
  to more than half the price of its original cost; iv) No. 1 thing to keep the fridge at top efficiency? Vacuuming that grill-like area at the bottom of it
  at least quarterly. This will clear condenser coils of dirt, pet hair and debris. No. 2. Keeping the interior clean; and v) Also – do you know the top
  two fridge repair calls? Cooling issues and problems with ice and water dispensers. Refrigerators kept in good condition should run well for 15
  years!

CARPET: Try a homemade carpet cleaner before calling in the experts. Spray hydrogen peroxide on the carpet stain, exceeding its perimeter.
Follow with a heavy sprinkling of baking soda. Allow it to sit for several minutes and then rinse the entire area with clean water. Still not out,
check out Angieslist.com to find more than 7,610 carpet cleaners with verified reviews nationwide; nearly 300 in NYC.

BATHROOM:

• Remodeling a bathroom can result in an ROI of 80%. Angie’s List has 17,362 bathroom remodelers nationwide with verified reviews; 1,215 in NYC.
• According to a 2016 Angie’s List survey, 90 percent of us would rather shower than take a bath. (Angie’s List Survey, 2016)
• Tub to shower conversions can cost anywhere from $5,500 to $8,000, but the price goes up depending on which amenities and materials you
  choose.
• Hot master bathroom trend: Replace the tub with a large shower with multiple heads, but keep one tub in the house for resale value.

HAIR SALONS: Need a haircut? Did you know that you can find your next hairstylist on Angie’s List? Yep! Here are few things to keep in mind
when looking:

• Research local salons. You want to find one that fits your personal style. Are you casual and comfy or modern and sleek?
• Read reviews on each stylist. Check out the salon website, Facebook and Angie’s List to see what past customers have to say.
• Interview stylists. Solicit suggestions about the kind of haircut or color selection that would suit your face shape, skin tone and lifestyle. Even if
  you just want to keep the style you have, it will give you an idea of how the hairstylist thinks and the kind of styles with which he or she is most
  comfortable.

ARTWORK: Think you Can Hang Art? Ask yourself three questions:

• Do I have the time?
• Do I have the talent (and patience)?
• Do I have the tools?

If you answer no to any of them, consider hiring a pro to do it for you. Angie’s List has 12,487 handymen with verified reviews nationwide; 646 in
NYC. Other pros who can help: i) frame shops, ii) photographers; and iii) muralists.

CLOSET: You don’t have to be a Bravo housewife to have an awesome closet. A tricked-out custom closet could cost you $3,500 or more, but
there are less expensive alternatives — even some do-it-yourself options — to give your closet a magical make-over. Check Angie’s List for
great service pros, hire a closet specialist, handyman or remodeler.

HOME OFFICE: Remodeling a room in your home for a home office might seem like a good idea, but it can cost $20,000 or more and the
resale value? Not great. Your ROI is likely only 50 percent so be sure you really need it and that you don’t devalue your home by totally
transforming a bedroom your prospective home buyers will want to use as an actual bedroom.

• 25 percent of the nation’s workforce has some ability to telecommute and some portion of that makes their living at home. If this is you, a home
  office investment may make better financial sense.
• Pay attention to color. Green evokes serenity; blue evokes tranquility and turquoise stimulates creativity. Red can raise your heart rate and
  trigger irritability. Glossy paint = high energy while flat paint has the opposite effect.
• Invest in a good chair.
• Put your home office away from living space so you can focus.
• Don’t forget good lighting. Avoid fluorescent lighting in favor of good natural light.

HVAC:

• The No. 1 thing you can do to keep your furnace running well? Change the filter quarterly.
• HVAC specialists tell Angie’s List that failure to do this DIY task is one of the biggest causes of their emergency calls.
• Angie’s List has 23,412 HVAC service providers with verified reviews; 1,192 in NYC.

LAUNDRY ROOM:

• 90% of the cost of doing laundry comes from the fuel used to run your water heater so wash in cold and save money.
• Clean the lint tray on the dryer with each load and clean the outside vent at least annually. The machine will run more efficiently and you can
  avoid dryer fires.

PETS:

• According to recent research, dog owners live healthier, longer lives. Check out Angie’s List for a comprehensive list of local
  veterinarians, animal grooming facilities, boarding kennels, dog trainers and dog walkers. Angie’s List has verified reviews on 11,807
  veterinarians nationwide; 482 in NYC.
• Angie Hicks’ favorite category on Angie’s List? Pooper Scoopers.

YARD: If you’d rather outsource your gardening needs, consider hiring an experienced landscaper. And keep in mind that Angie’s List members
have access to local consumer reviews on landscapers, lawn and yard work professionals and services providers in more than 500 other
categories.

For more information about Angie’s List, visit www.angieslist.com.

 

*Bevs Lim also contributes to Huffington Post.