Dear So and So

[Pax]

Dear contractor, Please stop asking us to review you on Angie's List. Quite honestly, the main reason we haven't is because you've been so pushy about it. Those reviews should be freely given and not the product of arm twisting. We paid a handsome sum for those windows and are paying you another tidy sum for some additional work. Stop acting like there's more to our contract than that.

Just a heads up about Angie's List, according to a contractor (roofing) buddy of mine, a contractor can pay to be on it... and pay more for a higher rating. He pays a couple of thousand a year to be a top rated contractor.

[Biciclista]

I thought Angie's list was a great idea until i found out i had to pay for it. Yelp works much better for me. You can see many comments from other people who have used their service. It's not perfect, but it's free.

[indysteel]

That's interesting, Pax. We originally used this contractor because they are one of only two in the area certified to install the Marvin windows we wanted. But from the moment the windows went in, the sales guy started hounding us about a review. This was last winter. Well, we were not planning to review them until we'd had the windows for awhile as problems with the installation or product aren't always immediately apparent. In the meantime, he called both of us repeatedly about writing a review. I was SO close to telling him off. Much to my regret, we decided to use them again for a door repair and to replace our basement windows. The sales guy was here last night to signthe contract and he asked us for a review three times in the space of an hour. The irony is that we'd be fine with giving them one if he'd just stop asking us to. I'd get into it with him, but until the work is completed, I'd rather not get on guavas side.

I work on a board with AL's CFO. I might mention to him just how obnoxious contractor's can be in using the "service.". Maybe they don't care, but it seems to me that they should discourage businesses from hitting people over the head in an effort to get a review.

[Catrin]

Mom does have lung cancer, and they removed as much of her lung as the emphysema allowed. They THINK they got it all, but they would have liked to have taken more to be safe. She will have to have radation once she recovers from this surgery. As a 72 year old who is quite unfit, she is doing great! It helps being the stubborn old cuss that she is

[indysteel]

I thought Angie's list was a great idea until i found out i had to pay for it. Yelp works much better for me. You can see many comments from other people who have used their service. It's not perfect, but it's free.

I'm not sure we're going to renew. Our town is small enough that a lot of contractors aren't even on it. Word of mouth seems to work just as well.

[OakLeaf]

Oh Catrin, so sorry to hear that. Continued healing thoughts to your mom, Don, you and Mimi.

Snap, heal up quick you too.

[indysteel]

Mom does have lung cancer, and they removed as much of her lung as the emphysema allowed. They THINK they got it all, but they would have liked to have taken more to be safe. She will have to have radation once she recovers from this surgery. As a 72 year old who is quite unfit, she is doing great! It helps being the stubborn old cuss that she is

I'm sad to hear that it is, indeed, cancer. Hopefully they got it all though. May she have a swift and full recovery.

[spokewench]

Catrin - sorry about your Mom - hope she gets to feeling better soon.

[Sky King]

Catrin, sending good thoughts your way, Hope they are watching for blood clots, etc. Will they send her to rehab facility for a bit? They took part of my mother's lung out from cancer and she healed wonderfully but her cancer was also in other areas of her body. They took my FIL entire lung but unfortunately we lost him to an undiagnosed blood clot when he was released from the hospital. I often wonder if the outcome would have been different if they had put him in rehab instead of sending him home.

[Veronica]

Dear Coworker,

I know you are very frustrated by your class. But I am getting tired of you saying that you are always getting dumped on. As I recall, you asked to have that particularly tough group of students last year. And this year you volunteered to do an equally tough group. Given all the personal issues you have, I don't understand why you do this to yourself. And your group three years ago was not that bad.

Seriously, I think it's time to do some soul searching and maybe it's time to get out of the profession. I know you think I get all the "good" kids. You know they didn't start out that way. And you have told me you could not put up with half a dozen of them.

Veronica

[Veronica]

Dear Awesome 5th Graders,

You made me so proud and laugh so hard yesterday as you worked to untangle the human knots. Your maturity about holding hands and your caring and teamwork were outstanding.

I am thrilled (at the moment) to be your teacher.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mimi, so glad to hear Donald is doing better after his new surgery. Now take yourself 24 hours off from your hospital vigil and get some REST! It's vital so that you can continue to do a good job running things at home and helping D too.

[Crankin]

Catrin, I hope your mom is doing well today, and it's good you are there.
Mimi, go get some sleep and eat some good food!

Veronica, ah, the human knot. I miss those things sometimes...

[snapdragen]

I've had nothing but great results using Angie's List - it's made it possible for me to find the local family run businesses, instead of the big corporate ones. So far I've found a plumber, heating and air conditioning guy, concrete/fence/gate repair. None of them have hounded me to review them, although the guy that did our concrete asked politely if I wouldn't mind reviewing them on Yelp.

Now, my brother had an issue with a plumber from A.L in New Jersey. He was great, until my brother left the house and plumber guy was alone with my SIL. Guess he made a few inappropriate comments/suggestions . SIL tossed him out, my brother went ballistic.

[NbyNW]

Wow, Snap. Let us know if your brother is successful getting that guy kicked off the list.

I've always wondered about A.L. Is there still a fee to have access to the list? I have mostly relied on personal referrals for things like this, so haven't really tried it.