Leaving Reviews
Leaving Reviews and Feedback
Your reviews help other homeowners find good contractors and hold contractors accountable for quality. Honest, thoughtful reviews are invaluable to both the community and contractors.
When to Leave a Review
Leave a review after the project is complete, paid, and you've had time to live with the work. Don't review immediately—wait a few days or weeks to ensure you're satisfied. A thorough review is more valuable than a rushed one.
What to Include in Your Review
Provide: an overall rating (1-5 stars), a brief summary of the work, specific details about your experience, and whether you'd hire them again. Good reviews are specific: "Excellent electrician. Very professional, finished ahead of schedule, explained all work clearly, and the work was excellent." Avoid generic comments.
Rating Scale
5 Stars: Exceptional work, professional behavior, fair price, excellent communication. Would happily recommend. 4 Stars: Good work and service, minor issues, would consider hiring again. 3 Stars: Acceptable work, some concerns, might try someone else next time. 2 Stars: Significant issues, poor communication or quality. 1 Star: Serious problems, unprofessional, would not recommend.
Being Specific and Fair
Specific feedback is most helpful: "The painting was excellent, but the contractor didn't clean up properly" is more useful than "Great contractor." Fair reviews acknowledge both strengths and weaknesses. Even good contractors have minor issues; acknowledge them.
Positive Reviews
If you're happy, say so. Positive reviews help good contractors get more business. You might mention: quality of work, timeliness, communication, professionalism, cleanliness, problem-solving, and value for money. These details help future customers know what to expect.
Negative Reviews
If you had issues, be fair and specific: "Work wasn't completed to specification—outlets installed incorrectly and required rework," or "Contractor was unreliable—missed two scheduled start dates." Avoid personal attacks; focus on service quality. Legitimate complaints help the contractor improve and warn other customers.
Dealing with Disagreements
If you disagree with the contractor about quality or payment, try resolving it directly first. Once resolved, leave an honest review about the overall experience. If unresolved, ANVL can help mediate. Don't use reviews to "punish" contractors—use them to provide accurate feedback.
Photos in Reviews
Include photos of the completed work. Before/after photos are especially valuable—they let future customers see results. Clear, well-lit photos are most helpful. Get the contractor's permission before posting photos of their work.
Review Timing
ANVL sends review requests after projects complete. You can leave a review anytime. ANVL might provide a brief follow-up: "How was your recent project?" This helps contractors get timely feedback while the experience is fresh.
Edit Your Review
If you want to update your review (learned something new, changed your opinion), you can edit it anytime. Simply click edit and make changes. This is useful if initial concerns were resolved or new issues arose.
Response from Contractors
Contractors can respond to your review—publicly thanking you for positive reviews or addressing concerns in negative ones. Their responses are part of the review. If a contractor's response is inappropriate, ANVL can remove it.
Building Community Trust
Reviews build trust in the ANVL community. Honest, fair reviews help everyone: homeowners find good contractors, contractors get feedback, and poor performers are identified. You're helping improve the whole platform.
Review Privacy
Your reviews are public—contractors and other homeowners see them. Keep this in mind when writing, but don't shy away from honest feedback. The point of reviews is transparency and accountability.