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- Ratings and reviews by surveyed Consumers' Checkbook and Consumer Reports local subscribers
- Undercover price comparisons
- Complaint histories from consumer agencies
- Advice to help you get the best service and value
Given that we received very mixed reviews for home inspection services in our surveys of local consumers, we expected some companies in our test would perform better than others. But what really miffed us was how little work many inspectors bothered to do.
On occasion your trees might become shady characters, done in—and perhaps ultimately brought down—by disease or damage or both. Here's how to find a great branch manager.
Once you have chosen a company that can do the work well, price becomes your primary consideration. Our undercover shoppers found huge company-to-company price differences for the same jobs.
You don’t have to be an expert to spot many potential tree problems. Like most plants, trees have ways of indicating distress. Examine your trees several times a year for these signs of trouble.
To make sure your heating and air-conditioning systems work when needed, they must be properly installed and maintained. We’ve rated area heating and air-conditioning services for quality and price.
To get new shingles without a shakedown, identify several reliable contractors and collect bids from each, get in writing exactly what will be done, and then keep a close eye on the job as it progresses.
When hiring a roofer, quality of work should be your primary consideration. Once you have identified roofers that measure up on quality, get several fixed-price bids for the work. You’ll find big roofer-to-roofer price differences for the same job.
Different types of roofs have different lifespans. Your inspections will reveal whether the entire roof is due for replacement.