We've all been there, an appliance breaks, work needs to be done on the house, and you're not sure where to turn first, or more importantly who to trust to do the work. HomeAdvisor, formerly ServiceMagic, invited some press to learn more about their rebranding efforts, new tools and a cool new DIY app. New features add some nice value to what ServiceMagic was already doing - arming DIY consumers with the intelligence to make informed decisions, and setting expectations on costs before they pick up the phone or accept an estimate.
The HomeAdvisor Cost Guide specifically caught my eye, which calculates a cost range within your city/state for home improvement projects. Want to know the average cost to paint your house in Atlanta? You can use this guide to get a ballpark. To date HomeAdvisor has collected 600,000 "cost profiles" from users to develop the ranges that you'll see that to let you know what you're potentially getting into.
The Home911 app, which just launched for free on the iOS, is another handy tool that can help you out if you have a home appliance emergency, with online and 24/7 live help to find a contractor that's been vetted in advance. The app will likely be open around the clock at our home (you can use it in non-emergencies as well) while we tackle remodeling our downstairs bathroom this next year and replacing our mouldings.
Amy Matthews, HomeAdvisor's Home Improvement Expert, and star of shows on DIY and HGTV was on hand to talk about the importance of consumer education and HomeAdvisor's role in filling in the missing link between the contractor and the homeowner.
I'd be remiss if I didn't share just how cool the lunch setting looked - it was beautiful and lived up to what you'd expect seeing the outside of the IAC Building where the lunch took place. Just check out these pretty pics . . .
Thanks to HomeAdvisor for the lovely lunch meeting.
Comments