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I've been a homeowner for going on 35 years, and always found that remodeling the kitchen was a great way to ensure another set of happy years with my wife. It's about time for me to make another investment. Finding contractors is not what it used to be; now, it seems like the internet has replaced word-of-mouth as the best resource for finding reliable workers, and looking for contractors on the internet is like looking for a nail in a swimming pool of rusty screws. I stumbled across the website www.kitchencrasher.com and found a compilation of companies that seem to do good work, but none of our friends have had any work done by the companies they saw on the website. Has anyone ever worked with the contractors from www.kitchencrasher.com? If so: which ones, how did you like the results, and do you have any pictures? Do you know of any similar websites that might also recommend reliable contractors?

try using angie's list for contractors, there is a minimal membership fee, can't recall if they offer a "free" week for new members. I've seen groupon offers for discounted Angie's List memberships as well. Homeowners post reviews, give "grades", etc. If I find a contractor/company on angie's list with "A" grades, I then cross-reference on the local BBB. There should also be your state license agency that issues contractor licenses, I would assume there would be a "complaint" section on the website, or you can call the state board to check for valid licenses, complaints, etc.

Funny, when I clicked that link, I get a placeholder page that says GoDaddy is the registrar, and offers the domaine for sale. There's also a sentence on the page about a failed search. On top of that, my browser (Firefox) says it blocked a pop-up.

Gee, TheFamilyHouse took the trouble to live-link it twice in his post, which, by the way, is post number one from him.

I have a feeling TheFamilyHouse - who hasn't filled out any public profile info - is really looking for help with an internet marketing campaign, and his landing page either has issues, or just isn't up yet.

As for Angie's List, No, contractors can't pay to get on it. Angie's List IS basically word-of-mouth. Consumers pay to access the list, and the only way contractors get on is to be referred by a paying customer.

So, what's to prevent a scumbag from paying for a membership, and referring himself, or other scumbags? Nothing, really. However, as soon as these scumbags screw up, the paying member they've crossed complains to the list, and that complaint is in plain view for all to see.

Yes, I'm on Angie's List. I get some business out of it, have been on it for a few years, and have so far never paid a dime for advertising.

If you use Angie's List, just find contractors with a handful of recent A ratings, and also check out what people are saying about them. Some of those contractors may cost a little more than someone with only one or two ratings, but if price is your main criteria, you'll likely find trouble no matter where you draw the contractor from.

Regards.