CSA Online If you’re wondering where the next generation of tradespeople are, they’re online. If you’re wondering where you should go the next time you have a job that needs doing, the answer is the same. Thumbtack thumbtack.com U.S.A. only While only available in the U.S., Thumbtack gets special mention for the sheer breadth of services which it can connect you with. House cleaning? Sure. Painting? Yup. Yard work? Certainly. Hiring a DJ so that you can throw a rager? Mmm-hmm. Renting a dunk tank for − hey, you don’t need to justify anything here... but Thumbtack can help. Thumbtack is basically what the Yellow Pages would have become, if it had a little more tech savvy. You can find service providers to do almost anything that can be legally done. Thumbtack gets special mention for offering its services with price ranges attached at thumbtack.com/prices. It’s a great place to start if you’re pricing out a job. Painting? $650-$1,200. Lawn services? $40-$70. A DJ? $490-$600. Dunk tank? $270-$300. Handy handy.com Canada and U.S.A. All Handy service providers are thoroughly screened and must show proof of credentials. In other words, you’re not going to get someone like me coming to your home to install an electrical outlet. That’s for the best; I’m pretty busy and you deserve better. Handy highlights its Handy Happiness Guarantee and offers insurance for jobs booked and paid for through the Handy platform, in the event that something should go wrong. If you’re not satisfied with the work completed, Handy says that it will send out another pro to make it right at no cost to you. In this way, Handy is great to connect you with a skilled tradesperson to complete a simple job. Handy also covers a full list of tradespeople to complete odd jobs, simple installations, cleaning, moving and much more. Start by selecting the job you need completed and providing some details − the size of the job, when you’d like it done, your contact details and the like. You’ll hear back with some potential handy or tradespeople to come and do your job right, along with a price range, reviews and the like. HomeStars homestars.com Canada only HomeStars connects Canadians with a job that needs doing, with professionals who can do it. HomeStars is less about odd jobs (if you’re looking for someone to come move junk or mow your lawn, look elsewhere) and more about connecting people with a defined job to do with a professional who can help. Instead of choosing the job you need done, you select the category − appliance repair, plumbing repair, electrical repair, roofing repair. You then share some details of the job. In turn, you’ll receive outreach from pros who can handle the task. For small jobs, you can view the offer and possibly negotiate via electronic means. For bigger jobs, you can arrange to have skilled tradespeople come and view in person to offer a quote. Nextdoor nextdoor.com Canada and U.S.A. Nextdoor is like the neighborhood bulletin board gone digital. Neighbours can post updates, share things such as garage sales, tips for keeping those darned racoons from getting into the garbage, share when Girl GuideThin Mint cookies are available, or whatever. You can only join the Nextdoor neighbourhood area in which you physically live. This means that the stuff you’re seeing on Nextdoor is specifically relevant to your area. It also means that when you share, you’re sharing with your neighbourhood. If you’re wondering where the enterprising neighbourhood kids who’d knock on doors to offer snow shovelling, lawn mowing, raking and other such jobs have gone, they’re on Nextdoor. Nextdoor is also where you’ll find odd jobbers and tradespeople offering services, sometimes with ads, sometimes with text posts. The benefit here is that you can see real reviews from people in your neighbourhood, so you know what to expect. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, a quick post such as “any recommendations for gutter cleaning?” or “I need some help putting up Christmas lights,” or “any kids in the neighbourhood want tomake a few bucks cutting my lawn once a week?” will get you on the way to what you need. CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 41
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