The Sweet Smell of Success; Contractors and Homeowners Find a Perfect Match Online

MISSISSAUGA, ON. – From modest beginnings a few short months ago, to the hot-spot for locating qualified contractors, or to bid on renovation and construction projects, Handy Canadian.com must be doing something right. In less than two months job postings have nearly doubled, representing estimated budgets totaling over $20 million.

Rapidly gaining credibility with homeowners and contractors alike, one of the reasons the Mississuaga, Ontario-based online resource is so successful is because it is a quick, cost-effective way to connect just the right homeowner to just the right contractor.

“Advertising through other media resources can be a time-consuming and costly way to locate qualified contractors,” notes Max Sheppard, co-founder of Handy Canadian.com.

“Homeowners can find themselves inundated with responses from unskilled, non-qualified laborers vying for the project.

“At Handy Canadian.com we take the guesswork out of who might be a reputable, qualified professional,” continues Sheppard. “Contractors associated with Handy Canadian.com are highly qualified and skilled. Homeowners get competitive bids for their project, and can find just the right contractor for the job, quickly and easily.”

Homeowner Bill Russel of Toronto, Ontario agrees. “What a great site! I can’t believe how easy it was for me to use Handy Canadian. I posted a job on Thursday, had eight replies by Saturday morning, and will be accepting one of them early next week—-“

Skilled contractors, too, benefit from the web site. Handy Canadian.com has proved to be an effective tool for contractors to generate valuable project leads through multi resources. Contractors receive e-mail notifications whenever new projects in their area and within their specifications are posted.

“—-Your site has by far the best layout, and is the best source of leads that we have,” states Bryan Baeumler of Quality Constriction and Renovations, Inc.

“Since we’ve listed with Handy Canadian, we’ve signed contracts on over $400,000 worth of work in only four months.” Baeumler goes on to say that advertising with Handy Candadian.com has provided a good return on his advertising dollar, unsurpassed by any other advertising media to date. “—-we no longer advertise anywhere else!”

Besides offering a convenient platform for homeowners and skilled contractors to network, Handy Canadian.com showcases contractor portfolios and customer references. Homeowners have the opportunity to critique each contractor who bids on their project before making direct contact with them.

Helpful resources are also available, as well as informative articles covering renovation, remodeling, do-it-yourself tips, how to select the right contractor, project needs, what to include in a contract, and more.

According to the Canadian Construction Industry Forecast 2006-2010, as noted in their December 2005 report, construction in Canada has been on the upswing since the mid 1980s. Residential construction in Canada saw another 1.1% increase in 2005; overall, the construction industry grew by 2.9%.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) plus the cost of material and service inputs in regards to construction grew 4.8% in 2005 – to a dollar worth of over $106 Billion. And with yet another modest jump projected for 2006, Handy Canadian.com is more than a sweet success story. It just may be the handiest tool yet for homeowners and contractors alike.

To learn more about Handy Canadian.com, or to become a member, visit the web site at http://www.handycanadian.com, or telephone co-founder Max Sheppard at 905-819-9011.