Jim Winsett of the BBB. Q. This summer we have a few remodel projects planned. I find it difficult to find contractors and make decisions on who to choose. How may BBB help with this process?
A. Many consumers have the same issues; sometimes the more information you have at your fingertips, the longer it takes to weed through it all. Watch the news for just a few minutes and you'll hear about some shady contractor, scam artist or business that didn't deliver on its promises. When it's time to hire or buy, you don't want the same to happen to you.
Better Business Bureau exists to create an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers trust each other. When you have a purchasing decision to make, try our Request a Quote tool, (https://www.bbb.org/ask/request-a-quote), for one stop shopping from BBB Accredited businesses you can trust.
Project remodel research is hard. At first, it seemed like online research made everything easier. When you wanted to know about a doctor, plumber or auto repair shop, you looked at their website and other marketing material. If they had solid credentials and provided what you were looking for, you felt safe hiring them. Then, something happened to you or someone you know. A business seemed trustworthy, but it was all marketing.
Now it's hard to separate the experts from the people who just put up a good front. Good reviews could be written by family members or people who were compensated for their positive words. Bad reviews might come from competitors trying to sling mud or someone who was never a client in the first place.
When you need to hire an expert or you're looking for advice, you could spend hours just trying to separate truth from hype. Then you might make calls, send emails and fill out online contact forms, only to have no reply.
When you finally do get started on your project, you still might end up with an untrustworthy provider. When you use BBB's Request a Quote, you only hear from experts who adhere to BBB accreditation high standards, and those respond right away.
There are two ways to get quotes, estimates or proposals from BBB Accredited businesses, and they're both easy. If you already have a business in mind and they're BBB Accredited, start by typing their name into the search bar on BBB's home page, www.bbb.org/chattanooga . Once you hit "search," you should see your business and the option to "request a quote."
If you'd like to receive information from multiple BBB Accredited businesses, follow these steps:
1. Use the drop down menu to select the type of business you're looking for.
2. If you're looking for a local contractor, enter your zip code.
3. Fill out the form, providing any details you have about your need or project.
4. Select how you want them to contact you and provide that information.
5. After you submit your request, BBB will forward your request to BBB Accredited Businesses that offer what you're looking for.
6. Businesses that offer matching services or products will contact you within 24 hours.
Whatever you're looking for, you can often get one or multiple quotes by the next business day. BBB suggest you use this valuable online tool to Request a Quote for your next project. Let qualified providers come to you and hire with confidence.
Visit www.bbb.org for other consumer tips.
Jim Winsett is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.