Four years ago, builders and
contractors flooded into Sacramento's
booming market.
"They didn't even need to
advertise," says Nancy Roberts,
a local businesswoman. "But
homeowners were getting
shoddy work." So Roberts
started a local contractor referral
service, The Sacramento
Trades Guild, for homeowners
anxious about hiring carpenters
off the street. Today, with
the Sacramento market dried
up, Roberts has seen the trend
shift. Now, she says, contractors
hungry for work are eager
to get on her list.
It isn't that easy. "You can't
sign up every contractor in
town," says Roberts, who
requires contractors to undergo
extensive background checks
for proper licensing and insurance,
past work, and financial
stability. "You have to control
the quality and make sure
members get lots of referrals."
Now with more than 100
member