Real talk: this is a tech site. I'm not fixing your toilet. But I do own a house, and I've had to find good plumbers, electricians, and handymen over the years — and I've gotten pretty good at it. Here's how.
Start with your neighborhood group, not Yelp. The single best source of pros is a small local Facebook group, Nextdoor thread, or a neighborhood-specific subreddit. Ask who people have actually used, and look for the names that come up repeatedly with specific praise — not just 'he's great,' but 'he replaced my water heater, came same-day, quoted $X, done in three hours.' Specifics mean the reviewer really had them out. Vague praise is often a friend-of-friend favor.
Avoid lead-gen sites. Angi, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack — these charge pros a fee per lead, which means pros who rely on them need to upcharge to recoup the fee. You'll get quotes 20–40% higher than someone recommended by a neighbor. And the big franchise names you see on billboards (the ones with cute mascots) often run high just because they can.
Get three quotes for any job over $500. Not two — three. One will be high, one will be low, one will be in the middle. The middle quote is usually correct. If all three agree within 10%, that's your number. If they wildly disagree, something's wrong with the scope of work you described, and you need to get each of them on a call to confirm they're bidding on the same thing.
Verify licensing. In most states, electrical and plumbing work over a certain scope legally requires a licensed tradesperson. Your state will have a free lookup site — search '[your state] plumber license lookup.' If the person doesn't have one, that doesn't mean they're bad, but you have no recourse if something goes wrong and your insurance may not cover damage.
Always ask about warranty. Good pros warranty their work — at least a year on labor, longer on parts. If someone says 'we don't do warranties' or gets cagey, that's a sign to keep looking. Written quotes, written invoices, written warranty terms. Never pay cash without a receipt; if they offer a cash discount, make sure it's documented.
When they arrive: be ready. Know what you want done. Have parts already purchased if you bought them yourself (and confirm with the pro beforehand that the parts you bought are the right ones). Clear the work area. Keep pets away. The faster the job goes, the less it costs — and a pro who sees you had your stuff together will remember you and prioritize your next call.