Construction companies are finding canceling their service with Home Advisor is difficult – and when savvy business owners have reviewed them with a video about it – home advisor offered them a refund, essentially a bribe of over $1,000 to take it down.
So you be the judge – is Home Advisor Pro a scam?
Check out these home advisor reviews + insights!
This article will give you everything you need to know about Home Advisor – if it’s legit, and if you should use it.
This post is for entertainment purposes only.
We are not able to get your money back from Home Advisor.
We’re a marketing agency that curated a bunch of reviews of Home Advisor to show you you’re not the only one they’ve scammed.
Table of Contents
Some people have had great experiences with Home Advisor!
This person is in lawn services – and says you need spend money to make money:
- Other niches that seem to do well on there: Handymen, Pool services, Sewer repair, building ponds, excavation, and some general contractors.
- Everything ‘Works if you work it”
- Many – many other niches have had terrible experiences, and that’s why this post focuses mainly on those negative experiences. We work with a lot of roofers, HVAC, plumbers and have seen a lot of mad contractors.
Looking a savvy marketing team? Some of the niches we serve: Roofing Marketing & Lead Gen, HVAC Marketing & Lead Gen, Construction Marketing & Lead Gen, Plumbing Marketing & Lead Gen. We also drive leads for all kinds of Home Services, including Solar, Windows & Doors, Electricians, and Remodelers.
What you can expect from the rest of this post
There are several different perspectives in this article from very savvy people – and you won’t want to miss any of it.
This is for the people that have been scammed by Home Advisor.
Because sites like this don’t monitor themselves – and even collaborate with people like Better Business Bureau to get taken seriously, despite un-ethical business practices. Let’s see how long it takes them to change their name (like they’ve done before.)
Clue #1: Re-branding several times to avoid association with lawsuits
This brave business owner decided to keep up the video – and get’s down to talk about Home Advisor’s GlassDoor reviews (reviews from employees for the previous employer) that talk about the fact that ServiceMagic has 100’s of lawsuits.
You tell me – does changing your name over and over again mean you’re proud of your reputation?
How do you have an A+ Rating on Better Busines Bureau with 86% negative reviews?!
A couple somewhat telling Home Advisor reviews from Better Business Bureau (these are the last three from business owners)–
This company is a scam. I have been using them for several months for the company I work for and I have always had problems with leads that do not answer the phone or respond to voicemails and emails. The number of these has been growing on a monthly basis and I am very upset as I have lost so much money! I have had people hang up, tell me they never were on Home Advisor, or they were just on their site and not wanting to talk to companies..This company is a complete scam so to all companies out there.. beware and stay away. They don’t even want to try and work with you, they just say sorry we don’t credit for unanswered calls… we have an excellent coordinator calling, emailing and all else… too many bad leads. I hope others are aware of and end business with them as well. Be warned that they now own ******* **** and ********* as well. I wish I could give 0 stars!
Homeadvisor is an expert company in ripping off businesses. * They lack good follow up and customer service – when you submit a complain nobody gets back to you. * They charge you for services that you have not enrolled and for leads that you are unable to address like if you get a lead at 2 am in the morning you better get up from you sleep and call otherwise when morning calls you will have no chance. * Anyone in the company can sign up for their service but to cancel you need a background check and the owner has to call. * They don’t explain their services properly and deceive you about how to go around it just to get you sign. At the end of the month you will have no profits and just a big bill to pay them. I would not recommend them and would find a different way to market the business and find lead sources.
We have had many issues over the years with HA not issuing credit on FAKE or WRONG numbers or just outright bad contact information. To Home Adviser, they still view this as a LEAD and have rejected countless requests for credits even when we have a “number that has been recently disconnected.” This is BAD BUSINESS. I have spoke with many other AC contractors that have these same issues. After 3 years of fighting these issues, we are done and will be moving our business else where, I’m tired of fighting these credits. I also find it silly of them to loose $6,000 / year on a $20 credit. I guess this also show’s how they conduct business poorly. So much for the customer is always right.Home Adviser promotes good business strategies through their review platform, but they do not abide by the same rules. More of us contractors need to call them out on this. Google “Home Advisor, FAKE LEADS” what you will see following that will blow your mind and make you think twice about using their services.
Related: Construction Memes, and Construction Company Name Ideas
Clue #2: Former employees seem to think they are scamming people
Given – some employees just might be sore for being fired. Employees talk about management, encouraging them to lie in order to sell – which is crazy. Check out the GlassDoor Reviews. The video above talks about contractors getting sold leads for jobs that weren’t even in their state, and for a period of time, they weren’t giving them a refund on those leads.
What about Homeowners – how do they feel about HomeAdvisor?
Clue #3: You don’t own the customer, HomeAdvisor can rank for your name in Google
I can speak as a Search Engine Optimization specialist – if another company can rank for your companies name and then sell the leads back to you, you’re getting a raw deal. HomeAdvisor makes you sign the right for them to use your brand name in their materials and pages on their site – which essentially could take away customers that would have just come to your website and become a lead in the first place. Terrible deal.
Clue #4: People have had to close their bank accounts and change their phone number just because of Home Advisor
Can you think about the lunacy of that for a second?
Clue #5: You’re competing with tons of companies for the same leads.
You can imagine – if you get 15 leads, and every single one of those is going to a bunch of other companies – you don’t have an advantage.
The customer didn’t express interest in you as a provider, which isn’t ideal. It’s much better to get a lead from your website or another source. You want someone to come to you in particular.
Clue #6: Charges after you cancel and beyond what you paid for.
Apparently, you can pause a campaign for 15 days – but then when you call to cancel, they will tell you that you can actually pause for 90 days.
Clue #7: Some leads aren’t even aware of how HomeAdvisor got their information.
Scary and potentially bad for your company’s reputation. Also very interesting that these YouTube videos have a crazy amount of comments like this:
Clue #8: Home Advisor Destroys the SEO on Your Website
The number one reason that you should avoid Home Advisor is that it can ruin your website and your online presence. Because Home Advisor can afford to pay for more SEO and Paid Ads, they can beat you down with money. Instead of working with Home Advisor for SEO I’d encourage you to work with me, as then you will own the lead and the customers we produce. Home Advisor targets people that are looking for the cheapest option.
Only use Home Advisor in a desperate situation – and build your own website presence instead.
“Get a lifelong and return customer and not someone looking for a one and done customer and looking for the lowest price… We stay away from HomeAdvisor, and I would advise you to do the same.”
Building Your Own Website Presence (the Alternative to Lead Generation Sites)
So yes, it may seem easier to go through a lead generation site like Home Advisor. However, if you genuinely want to take your marketing to new heights, investing in your own online presence through creating a website will help your business grow. Websites and other digital touchpoints (like social media) can help you establish your brand identity and will give your business a sense of transparency. A finely tuned site with smart SEO tactics that incorporates targeted, well-written content will benefit you far more than Home Advisor.
Looking for Inspiration? Check out our color schemes post, our website color schemes post, footer inspiration, roofing websites, construction websites, electrical, solar, and plumbing websites.
Other Alternatives
If you are absolutely set on using a lead generation site, here are some higher quality options other than Home Advisor:
Houzz – Houzz is probably one of the top lead generation sites for contractors and home builders. However, there are cons associated with it, such as Houzz owning everything on a contractor’s profile, including pictures, and expensive cancellation fees. Many contractors have built their entire business through Houzz, and it is certainly an option worth looking into.
Check out our similar article on Houzz
Yelp – Yelp receives a lot of traffic for people looking for services. But because this avenue is cluttered with the competition, including those who are willing to pay to be more visible. Yelp should be utilized but not as the primary form of lead generation. Instead, it should be used to help your website presence.
About HomeAdvisor
Home Advisor is an online marketplace that connects homeowners with licensed, pre-screened, approved service professionals who offer home renovation, remodeling, and maintenance services. They provide technologies that allow customers to connect quickly and easily to service professionals. They can utilize Instant Booking and schedule appointments without having to go back and forth between phone or email, trying to schedule a time that works for everyone. Instant Connect also speeds up the process, which is a service connecting customers with a Home Advisor specialist within minutes of their request. They also offer integration with smart devices such as the Amazon Echo and Apple Watch.
Home Advisor is totally free because of advertising fees paid to them from those service professionals that participate in the HomeAdvisor network. HomeAdvisor steps in to make the connections between the new customers and these service professionals, who pay a secondary fee for each lead they receive and connect with. Your free account on the website, My HomeAdvisor, is your personalized tool that keeps all your profile information secure, and it’s the place you can review service requests, professional matches, and manage all personal info.
HomeAdvisor’s website details their 4 step process of screening their service professionals before matching them to the customer.
Step 1 – Licensing
HomeAdvisor confirms that the service professional holds an applicable state-level trade licensing for the services they claim to be providing to consumers.
Step 2 – Criminal Records Search
In the state in which the owner of the company is located, HomeAdvisor utilized third party data sources to conduct a criminal search for any relevant or active criminal convictions associated with the service company. The extensiveness and comprehensiveness of the National Criminal Databases do vary from state to state, so HomeAdvisor considers this, and ensures this information discovered is accurate. This includes a registered sex offender search. HomeAdvisor checks websites that consolidate state sex offender information to confirm there is no match based on the name of the owner/principal of the company.
Step 3 – Legal Search for Civil Judgements
Again, HomeAdvisor uses third-party data sources to check for filings associated with bankruptcy, liens, civil legal judgments, etc. in the state in which the owner of the company is located. Only instances occurring within the 12 months prior to the service professional’s application for membership on HomeAdvisor are considered.
Step 4 – Identity Verification
Lastly, HomeAdvisor confirms the social security numbers of the business owner, confirming their identity. This is mainly applicable to small businesses.
Contacting HomeAdvisor
Have questions about HomeAdvisor? They have several ways you can get your questions answered. You can call them Toll-Free at 1-877-800-3177, where you can ask general questions or get connected with your local service provider. Not able to make a phone call? They have a live chat on their website M-F 6 am-5 pm and Sat-Sun 7 am-4 pm Mountain Standard Time. If you are not quite ready to contact them for services, they have a helpful FAQ section for popular Q & As.
Bonus: Why All Home Improvement Lead Generation Services Suck
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Advisor
How much does it cost to be on Home Advisor?
Home Advisor charges almost $300 per year for the basic service. Each of the leads sent to the contractors generates a variable fee, usually between $15 and $60+ per contractor and per lead.
Are Angie’s List and HomeAdvisor the same company?
Yes indeed. HomeAdvisor / IAC acquired Angie’s List in 2017 for 500 million. At the time of purchase – it was said that “IAC who owns Match.com, Tinder and The Daily Beast, would merge Angie’s List with its own reviews site HomeAdvisor” – though currently, they seemed to have remained separate properties. Some contractors and small businesses still appreciate Angie’s List, where-as HomeAdvisor doesn’t seem to enjoy the same reputation.
Is Homeadvisor free?
HomeAdvisor is free for homeowners – because they charge contractors for the leads generated on the site. This process has frustrated some contractors, so HomeAdvisor pro has a lot of bad reviews, but homeowners don’t seem to feel the same way – from what is available of homeowner reviews online.
Does Home Advisor do background checks?
Home Advisor only checks for civil lawsuits and judgments dating back a year from when a contractor signs up to be a part of the service’s network. Once the background check has been done, that’s it – which may be concerning for homeowners. HomeAdvisor doesn’t repeat background checks on its contractors.
What is HomeAdvisor’s Phone Number?
Customer service: 1 (877) 800-3177
Local: (303) 963-7200
Is Home Advisor Good?
It seems to be a decent experience for homeowners. Many contractors complain that Home Advisor is bad for contractors. However, some contractors have sustained their business off of home advisor – and I have met 2 of these people, including a close friend of mine. On the whole, though – I have seen many, many more contractors frustrated with HomeAdvisor than not.
I have a lawn care business and Home Advisor gave me a free membership and $200 worth of leads for free. I was able to hire a crew to keep up with all the work they sent me. I just paid cash for a new work truck, thanks to Home
Advisor. I only stumbled on this website to see if they have leads in Florida because I’m thinking of moving there. Most of what you say is bending the truth. Home advisor is a Godsend for me. Why would you want to tear down a perfectly good company?
I need to get it out there – DO NOT BECOME INVOLVED WITH HOME ADVISORS. As a 28 year contractor, I let them talk me into “joining” their ranks with promises of mulitple leads at the ready. WRONG. I have to say that the salesman, Clay, did a good job trying to get me to sign up. He worked on me for 3-4 weeks before I gave in. I figured, what the heck. Let’s try it. More leads should lead to more jobs. But, as I expected, they couldn’t perform.
The first “qualified” lead they sent me was my neighbor. This should’ve been my first clue?! But, I hung in there waiting to see the multiple leads they had waiting for me. Hmm, they never showed up. I waited just to see and after 30 days, I called them and told them I wanted my money back; @$280.00. Of course, they told me that the agreement is that they have a no refunds policy after the first 24 hours. Really, 24 hours. Miraculously, they sent another lead; better than the first but not much. It was over 55 miles away for a small job that would’ve required multiple trips. So, while this one may have been better qualified, it was a poor lead. And, they charged me based on their assumption of the cost of the job.
So, I contacted my credit card company where I had charged the membership fee. Additionally, there was a second charge for the second lead they had sent me. I disputed both through my CC who has worked with me to get me my credit of these charges.
NOW, the funny stuff. All of the sudden, I am getting balance due notices from HomeAdvisors threatening me to move forward with a collection agency. I called them to discuss this with no luck. They want to take me to collections.
All in all, I wouldn’t advise trying HomeAdvisors. Build your own leads as I have over the last 28 years. I agree, more possibilities & leads is great; but, don’t use HomeAdvisors to do it. You will be disappointed as well as out of money.
There are ways around their system. I was employed by a company that uses HA as a primary source to generate leads. It was my task to track the account. They do make it difficult to get credit for bogus leads. However, we were reimbursed over $14000 over the course of the year. It takes consistency submitting leads that qualify for credit. Using a desktop or laptop, not accessible via HA app on cell phone, pros can submit request online. In the account section there is an option for credit request. A drop down menu lists a few categories. Submit leads that fall under those categories. You have 30 days to submit by phone, 45 online via pro account. For duplicate leads, those are an automatic credit. However, reps cant seem to find them. All leads have a different job ticket # listed along with personal contact info. Duplicates have same contact info but different ticket #. Submit both ticket #s and should receive instant credit. Type the names that sound like repeats in search box under lead activity section of the online portal. All similar leads will pop up. For web site, if you don’t have one with HA, don’t do it. If your contract allows create your own outside of HA. Im in texas and received confirmation on the things I’m describing. Utilize them, they have presence. Use your badges and place them on your site. Badges are widgets, click on them, two options appear, do the pdf. Because the other will back link to HA. There is so much more, but I’m out of time. Hope this helps. Try remain calm when talking to their reps to submit leads for credit. Ask questions, last resort ask to speak with a supervisor and explain why it qualifies for credit. Techs that created the platform and reps are not necessarily experienced in our field so be persistent.
Great feedback for people that ARE using HomeAdvisor – thanks for sharing!
RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN. They DO NOT perform thorough background checks. During a telephone conversation, their representative stated, those handymen can be pretty dicey. It took me 2 minutes to do a background check on an individual they recommended, after the fact, and refused to take him off their referral list. This individual intentionally left me a position to get electrocuted – 220 volts. Their response – did you rate him? There weren’t enough zeros to rate him. I haven’t found a platform to rate them (Home Advisor) yet.
Okay, I do tree service, and I had a bad experience with HomeAdvisor last year, they told me that they’re going to send me leads, I pay about 400 just to start working with them, and they told me I was going to get some free leads for one week because of the first payment, o kept on waiting that week, they didn’t send me any leads till next week, they send me a lots of leads and I called the costumer, 78% didn’t even pick up their phone, the other 15% told me that they even hired HomeAdvisor, I only got 7 jobs, which is did, now they’re charging me 2,800 dollars idk how or why they’re churching me to much, I’ve called them asking why was to much, they told me it was because of the leads, I told them I was not going to pay anything!! Now they send the bill to collection, and idk what to do so they can take that out, or if I should sue them for that.
Can someone tell me how do I join this class action law suit. Please help me!!