I use Yelp and have gotten excellent results, and it’s free. Look for those getting 5-star ratings with at least a dozen ratings. You can also Google whatever you’re looking for plus the word “ratings” or “reviews”. You do have to be prepared to spend time at the computer reading lots of reviews and learning how to read between the lines, but if you’re diligent, you’ll learn how to spot the more trustworthy reviews and ignore the others.
All the services that I’ve found through Yelp have been excellent, except for these housecleaners who were merely average. I’ve also used recommendations from friends and acquaintances, but these have been no better than the services I found through Yelp (in fact, not nearly as good).
For things that are going to run into quite a bit of money, I also recommend interviewing them personally, and not just over the phone, but face to face. You can tell a lot from a personal interview; trust your instincts. Make sure they have proper licenses and insurance (both liability and worker’s comp). Also, have them show you samples of their contract for services, or sample quotes, and bills. I like detail-oriented people who present clear, detailed, easy-to-understand bills, no questionable charges.
Angie’s List: why pay for something that you can get for free?