General Discussion

MineralMan

(152,101 posts)

2. Another Useful Rule: Never Hire a Contractor From a Company That Runs Frequent TV Ads.

Wed Jul 1, 2026, 12:30 PM

20 hrs ago

Use Google. Read reviews. Get at least four bids on any complicated or large job you need done. You'll be shocked. You can also get a bid from one of the the TV Ad companies. You'll be more shocked. You're going to pay for those expensive ads you see over and over again. Yes, you are.

Choose your contractor on the basis of price, published reviews, and the sense their proposal makes. Don't use the reviews on their websites, either. Read Google reviews and lots of them. Don't just read the good reviews. Read them all.

If you take the time to choose a good, honest contractor, you'll get good, honest work at a price that you can afford.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

23 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

84 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

My wife, home alone, opened the door to a door-to-door salesman. [View all] Trust_Reality 20 hrs ago OP

NOPE. IT'S "DON'T EVEN OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!".... ColoringFool 20 hrs ago #1

Absolutely! SheltieLover 19 hrs ago #11

I NEVER open the door unless I know Who it is--i have the advantage of looking riversedge 16 hrs ago #55

We have a peephole in our front door. calimary 8 hrs ago #71

100% correct. AZ8theist 5 hrs ago #74

Another Useful Rule: Never Hire a Contractor From a Company That Runs Frequent TV Ads. MineralMan 20 hrs ago #2

+1. Plumbing and HVAC companies that run TV ads are the worst. They want to replace, not repair dalton99a 20 hrs ago #5

There's a commission on a sale. Conjuay 19 hrs ago #14

And never, EVER front them the money. They get paid when the job is done to your satisfaction! n/t PatrickforB 18 hrs ago #31

Do not touch the door. Ignore them, and call the cops if they try to loiter dalton99a 20 hrs ago #3

I don't open my door to anyone Diamond_Dog 20 hrs ago #4

Same here, DD! SheltieLover 19 hrs ago #12

When the Jehovah's Witness people come by, I invite them in to see my Amway products. Permanut 17 hrs ago #42

Ahh yes, the old Jehovah's Witness blitzkrieg that used to happen in my apartment complex. OldBaldy1701E 47 min ago #82

Having been on both sides of that door I endorse this post SSJVegeta 19 hrs ago #6

Once I was mowing my front lawn and was approached by a guy spooky3 19 hrs ago #7

That was quick thinking! Good for you! Diamond_Dog 19 hrs ago #13

TY! A more unsettling incident was when I was sick and spooky3 19 hrs ago #20

I would also be leery of letting someone I don't know come inside if I were home alone. Diamond_Dog 18 hrs ago #26

Not just these days. It has always been that way for women. Since my niyad 17 hrs ago #50

Thank you! raccoon 3 hrs ago #79

Martial Arts ninjanurse 9 min ago #84

Smart Joinfortmill 17 hrs ago #39

Maybe 1980, a steak salesman came to the door nilram 17 hrs ago #48

Good one! Nt spooky3 16 hrs ago #52

I used to use the same line when we'd get land line calls... 3catwoman3 8 hrs ago #72

They practice their pitch and don't have a comeback helpisontheway 5 hrs ago #75

Years ago -- like in the 50s my parents were approached by a beef-selling salesman RVN VET71 8 hrs ago #73

Around here, it is more likely to be young evangelists from LDS or 7th Day Adventists or other... hlthe2b 19 hrs ago #8

Tell them "You work for Jesus? Give me his number. I want to call him." dalton99a 12 hrs ago #65

Only one really irritated me in recent years and to them, I told them I was Muslim and began speaking in Arabic. hlthe2b 12 hrs ago #66

The days of the proverbial Fuller Brush Man are long gone. Intractable 19 hrs ago #9

It must be such a treat to be married to you, belittling and infantilizing your wife on DU. Maru Kitteh 19 hrs ago #10

I first thought it was going to be satire leftstreet 18 hrs ago #32

I know. Yikes! Joinfortmill 17 hrs ago #41

Whow! OK. Trust_Reality 14 hrs ago #59

Actually I like almost all of the other posts better. Sorry it hit a tender spot with you. Trust_Reality 14 hrs ago #61

I live near a major city - TBF 19 hrs ago #15

I have an outer metal gate in front door with an atrium in the middle kimbutgar 19 hrs ago #16

Can't win anywhere by opening the door. And some non-advice. usonian 19 hrs ago #17

We've had a couple of vacuum cleaner guys around. The rest are madinmaryland 19 hrs ago #18

A lot of those outfits are scammy as fuck Stacey Grove 19 hrs ago #19

The Pella guy was aggressive because their product is crap LT Barclay 19 hrs ago #21

They may ask you to sign their tablet just showing that they visited your house. If you do they will use the twodogsbarking 19 hrs ago #22

+1. dalton99a 12 hrs ago #64

I feel bad for your wife, she was probably the only person who actually answered the door FakeNoose 19 hrs ago #23

The best two dollars I've spent in while. Ohiya 19 hrs ago #24

We have a No Soliciting sign at the entrance to our sub. llmart 18 hrs ago #30

I have a No Soliciting sign just underneath my doorbell. SeattleVet 17 hrs ago #51

Sadly, I live in a city where solicitors can't read Rorey 26 min ago #83

I don't open the door to any strangers. Way to dangerous TommieMommy 19 hrs ago #25

Another threat was covered by an AARP Bulletin story about a year ago. There allegorical oracle 18 hrs ago #27

Diabolical Joinfortmill 17 hrs ago #44

This message was self-deleted by its author LogDog75 18 hrs ago #28

Nope. Don't let any sales people in the door. You cannot get rid of them. Initech 18 hrs ago #29

Huge red flag xuplate 18 hrs ago #33

One way to stop them in their tracks is to ask for the city license/permit for sales LogDog75 18 hrs ago #34

Even better, don't open it in the first place. ananda 18 hrs ago #35

I just saw a video on SocialDemocrat61 18 hrs ago #36

OMG!!! FoxNewsSucks 10 hrs ago #68

Maybe she just shouldn't be home when they return. Or just shoo them away. LeftInTX 18 hrs ago #37

We're lucky in one regard. cab67 18 hrs ago #38

I never answer the door for unannounced visitors or the phone for unknown callers. GoodRaisin 17 hrs ago #40

I never answer a knock on my door JoseBalow 17 hrs ago #43

I love the first one! n/t ReRe 17 hrs ago #47

I have doorbell cameras. murielm99 17 hrs ago #45

i have a sign that says i charge $50 to listen to their pitch moonshinegnomie 17 hrs ago #46

I never ever open the door, they can ring the bell and knock on Raine 17 hrs ago #49

Growing up Faux pas 16 hrs ago #53

I never answer the door nor the phone unless I know who it is. hamsterjill 16 hrs ago #54

"Potential" doorbells (satire!) usonian 16 hrs ago #56

Better yet Rebl2 15 hrs ago #57

Captain Beefheart sold door-to-door orthoclad 15 hrs ago #58

I had a phone salesman call me (right at dinnertime!).... lastlib 14 hrs ago #60

this is obviously the aggressive "believe in your product" salesmanship rampartd 14 hrs ago #62

I put something like this above my door bell Monsieur_Grumpe 14 hrs ago #63

In our town, door-to-door sales people have to register with the police first. Otherwise, they can be arrested. Wonder Why 12 hrs ago #67

we get rogers salespeople here constantly...i won't do business with them because i caught them doing something dawn5651 9 hrs ago #69

Pella windows are excellent radical noodle 9 hrs ago #70

Are you young newlyweds? Bread and Circuses 4 hrs ago #76

I feel sorry for the door knockers. Aussie105 4 hrs ago #77

Yes! Ask for a business card. Tell them directly::: No card equals SCAM. Norrrm 4 hrs ago #78

We usually open the door DFW 2 hrs ago #80

As the expression goes: How can you tell when a salesperson is lying? Orrex 2 hrs ago #81