Maybe you have seen advertisements for finding contractors? They are all over the web when you start your search for home improvement contractors and custom cabinets orange county they are even advertising on TV. Well, I am a Service Magic Contractor and I want to tell you a little about your possible Service Magic experience should you choose to look there for contractors.

First of all, it is free to use. You sign up, enter a little information about your type of work, and start receiving calls and emails from contractors in your area. Your contractors have been pre-screened and background checks have been done to assure that you are only getting reputable companies. You are also able to look at their ratings from previous customers and read comments about them if you log back into the site.

What happens on the contractor end of this process is a little different. We receive a call, email, or text message about your lead. Then we can look over the project details you provide and decide if it is a project we want. Then we purchase the lead for anywhere from $35-$100 and we receive your contact information. We don’t receive any of your personal information until we pay for the lead.

Now here is where things start to get a little troublesome for us. When we purchase a lead we often are unable to contact the customer. We call or email and get no response. Or they have been overwhelmed by contractors calling on them and are frustrated. Some people just want a quote over the phone which is virtually impossible on jobs with any type of complexity.

So my main message for homeowners is to be ready to be contacted by contractors. Check out their ratings and references and choose the top three that you feel most comfortable with. Go to their web sites if they have them. Also, when you fill out your Service Magic request, try to provide as much information as possible. Be realistic with your time schedule also, because the good contractors are busy and will turn down leads that have a time schedule of “want done within the week”.

If you follow these tips, your experience with Service Magic will be a positive one. Don’t forget to be kind to the contractors that call or contact you, because they are paying for your lead information and they want to provide you with the best service that they can.