We’re back on the road again for more home shows this weekend, but first, I wanted to share this great note we got from a member today:

“…Angie’s List served us well.  A representative of this company approached my wife and me at a (local big box department store) and offered us a major discount for energy-efficient windows if we would schedule a sales pitch with them.  I gave them our information, but went home and checked the company’s Angie’s List and Better Business Bureau listings. I quickly discovered that this was a company we did not want to do business with.  I called them the next day and canceled the appointment.  Thanks for saving us from a lengthy, annoying sales pitch with no reasonable prospect of a satisfactory transaction.”

We love it when we can help!  Keep those reports coming in so we can help more people avoid potential scams. It IS the season for homeowner scams, you know. Just as the spring weather brings homeowners out of the house to take stock of projects that need to be tackled, it brings out scam artists who are eager to take your money and run.

So, please, check Angie’s List before you do any kind of home improvement project. Look up the rep of your local general contractors, remodelers, plumbers, handymen or any other service pro. It’s fast, it’s easy, and best of all, it can save you time, trouble, stress and money.

Now, the latest home show schedule:

Chicago Flower & Garden Show on Navy Pier
Now through March 14
Booth: #411

Cincinnati Home & Garden Show at the Duke Energy Convention Center
Now through March 14
Booth: #935

Duquesne Light Home & Garden Show  at the Pittsburgh Convention Center
Now through March 14
Booth: #1834

Maryland Home & Garden Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Baltimore
Now through March 14
Booth #330

Washington Home & Garden Show at the Washington Convention Center
Friday through March 14
Booth: #2509

Suburban Maryland Spring Home Show at the Discovery Sports Center in Germantown, MD
Friday through March 14
Booth: #214

Indianapolis Flower & Patio Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds West Pavilion
Saturday through March 21
Booth: #435

Some people follow rock bands from show to show all across the country. Here at, Angie’s List, we follow the home show circuit, and we’ve been doing it now for 15 years.

Whether you’re among the 87 percent of Angie’s List members who told us they’re planning home improvement this year, or you’re just dreaming of a remodeling project, you should be going to the home show, too.

Here’s why:

Home shows are great places to see examples of the latest ideas for kitchen and bathroom remodeling. General contractors, remodelers, plumbers, handymen – pretty much anyone who specializes in home improvement – has a presence at your local home show.

Our poll showed that those planning to remodel plan to spend nearly 5 percent of their home’s value on improvements in 2010. That’s significant money. You want to invest it well.  We’re not advocating that you hire the first contractor you find with an intriguing booth. You still have to do your research. But you can gather a lot of contact information at a home show.

You can stop by to see us, too.  Here’s a listing of where we’ll be. Hope to see you at the show!

Central Ohio Home & Garden Show at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus
We’re in booth 544 now through Sunday, March 7

Chicago Flower & Garden Show on Navy Pier
We’re in booth 411 starting Saturday, March 6 through March 14

Cincinnati Home & Garden Show at Duke Energy Convention Center
We’re in booth 935 starting Saturday, March 6 through March 14

Duquesne Light Home & Garden Show at the Pittsburgh Convention Center
We’re in booth 1834 starting Friday, March 5 through March 14t

Indianapolis Home & Flower Show at Lucas Oil Stadium
We’re in booth 424 starting Friday, March 5 through Sunday

Maryland Home & Garden Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Baltimore
We’re in booth 330 starting Saturday, March 6 through March 14

Minneapolis Housing Fair at South High School
We’re in booth 110 Saturday March 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Southern Spring Home & Garden Show at The Park in Charlotte
We’re in booth 638 today through Sunday, March 7

 

A highly popular and respected – and we hope heeded – authority agrees with us that consumers using the Internet to find a doctor is a trend “moving full speed ahead” and that doctors need to get on board.

The blogger says the real issue with online rating sites is what they can do for, or against, you. Angie’s List believes online ratings sites that have a credible accountability component -- and don’t just offer anonymous, Internet graffiti -- are hugely beneficial in helping patients find good doctors and helping physicians understand what their patients appreciate or find lacking in their practice. Active participation in these sites just makes a good thing better.

While a lot of us are still somewhat governed by our health insurance coverage, there’s still plenty of choice whether you need a dentist, dermatologist, psychiatrist or any other type of health professional.

Just as the big thaw follows a big freeze, scam artists follow storms. And once again, we’re hearing from people who’ve fallen victim to that nice guy who just “happened by” their home to offer help with:

• The snow-plowed in or snow-covered driveway
• The ice damming that’s working away at damaging your roof
• The “imminent” roof collapse that’s just a heartbeat away
• The ice-enveloped trees that need to be saved right now or die from exposure

Don’t be among the people who agree to fork over $1500 in cash for quick snow removal from roofs. That could be double what it should cost you – and it won’t take you long to check out any quote you get using Angie’s List or by comparing those three estimates from roofing contractors you should get before you hire anyone anyway.

Snow removal experts abound!  The good ones are probably busy, but many of them will recommend other good contractors if you’re in a pinch and they can’t get to you. One highly rated service pro told us he’s aware of a guy who raked in $28,000 in ONE week using smarmy, high pressure tactics. Did he leave behind damage that the homeowner will have to pay for? Did he do good work? Who knows?! That guy is in the wind because the work was done for cash with no record of who did it. So the homeowners he took can only hope he did good work and that they won’t be calling their homeowners insurance agent for help with the repairs.

Trees have been living through harsh winters for longer than humans have been landscaping. Call in tree service experts who can show you they know their stuff. They’ll know what your trees need – if anything.

Red flags:

• Companies/contractors offering steep discounts or insist on cash payment if you let them work right now.
• The pressure pitch:  Yes, you may be in danger of a roof collapse, but you don’t have to decide right now as you stand in your doorway talking to the stranger who says he or she can save you. Take the time to get three estimates and check references. Chances are, your roof won’t collapse in the time it takes to do your homework, and you’ll find a reputable contractor who will be there come spring should that roof repair start leaking.
• Blade? Yes. Insurance? No:  That Good Samaritan who plows your drive and disappears won’t bear the cost if he destroys your or your neighbor’s car or mailbox: you will.

Check out more tips on how to find reliable help for any storm disaster – it’s out there and we have the consumer reviews to prove it. If you’ve already been scammed, let us know. We try to find you help to fix it.

I've blogged about this before, but I said I wouldn't give up until we end this trend of doctors that want to keep their patients from posting reviews about their health care experiences online. Doctors who ask patients to sign these medical gag orders are making consumers choose between free speech and health care, and it’s just plain wrong.

Consumers have been sharing doctor reviews since the beginning of time. The comments have just moved online, and consumers have told us over and over that this form of feedback is helpful when making health care decisions for themselves and their family.

I talked about the gag orders with Gretchen Carlson at FOX & Friends this morning. Watch the clip and let me know what you think about this issue...