I first encountered and used checkbook several years ago because I was contracting to have a fence replaced, and the quotes I was getting seemed high, and the contractors seemed pushy and a bit skeezy. A subscription provides access to the articles on the website, and includes a printed magazine At least in the past, you could purchase individual reports. "Advice" articles are basically articles on how to contract certain service providers, or how to "do it yourself", etc - it generally doesn't include the "price and quality" rankings because the nature of the business doesn't lend itself to that type of evaluation.Īccess to the "ratings" and "advice" articles require a subscription, currently $34 for two years. Access to the "Comments" boards are free. "Comments" are a consumer-driven "comment" board where people can recommend/review specific companies, and can be a useful screening tool. The most useful thing is the searchable table that lists local providers, their reputation for quality, and their index pricing. Generally, these ratings include an "advice" article about the service provider type - how to contract with a provider, do's and don'ts, that kind of thing. They also include a survey "quality" ranking - that is, the number of respondents who rate the firm as "excellent" for quality of work. A provider that's listed as being "$90" will generally be 10% below the area average. They provide three levels of review - "Ratings", "Comments", and "Advice"įor a "Rating" article, they perform a survey, measuring quality and a baseline "price" index- which illustrates the pricing of a particular service relative to other service providers -they obtain estimates for a number of services, and then create an index price, using "$100" as the index. Each subscription also includes access to the magazine's trove of online ratings and articles, so consumers need not wait by the mailbox for five months before paying a visit to the seedy-eyed watch is an independent service provider review organization that provides reviews and ratings of many service providers, from auto mechanics to Wood Floor refinishers. Washington Consumers' Checkbook’s special guides keep professionals and their neighborly brethren honest, with critical ratings and undercover price checks for everything from lawn mows to tooth extractions. With nearly half a million ratings at their command-collected in surveys of paid subscribers-readers can be sure to avoid muddy-shoed salesmen or sky-diving instructors afraid of heights. Hailed by the Washington Post for its consistent accuracy and surfeit of valuable shopping tips, the nonprofit magazine holds no punches in its candid appraisals of more than 7,000 businesses, including doctors, dentists, auto-repair shops, electricians, plumbers, roofers, veterinarians, and more. Stay informed easily with today's Groupon: for $15, you get a two-year subscription, including online access, to Washington Consumers’ Checkbook (a $34 value).Īn unswerving ally in the search for the crème de local commerce for more than 35 years, Washington Consumers’ Checkbook points discerning consumers toward the DC metro area’s highest-rated professionals and services with four semi-annual print issues, newsletter updates, and online access. Before magazines, townsfolk kept up with current events by gossiping with the milkmaid or tickling secrets out of the town crier.
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