BARGAINS : HOME IMPROVEMENTS CAN BEGIN WITH YOUR CALL TO THE END RESULT.

Byline: Trisha King & Deborah Newmark

When you need work done around your home, hiring someone selected hit-or-miss from the phone book is always a gamble. After all, how can you tell how reliable or honest a company is by reading an advertisement? The End Result, a free referral service for homeowners and renters alike, takes the gamble out of selecting a tradesperson.

The End Result has been offering the community referrals to reliable tradespeople with reasonable prices (no price gouging, no matter where you live), since 1979. Owner Teddi Kessie has a large referral base of tried-and-true professionals. In fact, many of them have been doing work for the End Result's clients - over 10,000 satisfied customers - for over 20 years.

Whether for home or office, the End Result can refer tradespeople of all varieties for jobs, big and small. General contractors, roofers, handymen, clean-up crews, painters, plumbers and electricians are just a few of the trades represented. In addition to tradespeople, they can also refer you to services, such as errand runners, dog walkers and house and pet sitters.

When you call for a free referral, you will receive the name and phone number of two or three tradespeople. It's up to you as to whether you call them or they call you. Or if you'd like, the End Result will do the calling for you.

The End Result will also do its best to match you up with someone they feel you'll be comfortable dealing with. For example, baby boomers who are calling about repairs needed for an aging parent's home will often request older tradespeople.

In addition to standing behind the people it recommends, the End Result also stands by its clients. If for some reason a problem arises, it will act as a mediator.

The End Result covers most of Los Angeles County, and if you have friends and relatives in Orange County, they can call the End Result there at [phone].

The End Result is a service available by telephone only. Call [phone]. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. Most tradespeople accept cash or checks only.

Inside info

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