I was looking for something similar a few months back because it would be great to find a website where you could search by your location for good (and bad) references on people in the building trades, but I've never found one. Would love to know there is one!

If contractors and subs are required to be licensed in your state, then the state licensing board will have any negatives on record for your concern. This requires you to get the license number of the person involved and call the board to check. If they hesitate to give out their number, that's a red flag.

I think Angie's List is a subscription site that lets people rate contractors & subs. All I know about them is what I have read here and other places. Since they are not local to me, I couldn't use them anyway.

This is related but not what you are talking about. After completing the build of our custom home, I thought it would be a good idea to create a Builder's Report Card. It would list out many things like, "Communication skills", "Financial skills", "Ability to get the job done in a reasonable timeframe", etc. Each line item on this Report Card would be given a letter grade (A+, B-, C+, Incomplete, etc.) Wouldn't it be interesting if every contractor/sub-contractor was given a report card after each job by a homeowner (following standard definitions of what an "A" "B" grade required)? And then he/she had to show these report cards to future people he worked with in order to obtain new work? If I was smart, I wouldn't share this idea and try to start up some kind of business (online, of course) and make some $$ off it. Not!! I don't have the time or interest. Still burned out from our build which completed last May! LOL! :-)

az- funny that you should mention that - b/c that is what my DH was aiming at (I think) - that "we" - not sure if he has a mouse in his pocket or what - should create a website for that. I'm with you - although I think it'd be a great idea, I don't have the time/energy to deal with that right now. But wouldn't it be great!
sierra - we'll definately be checking out licenses - we've already checked on some subs who have been recommended to us.

There is the Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings site that lets people rate their builders. As with most online consumer ratings sites, there are far more negative ratings than positives since satisfied people rarely hunt up a place to say good things.

Here is a link that might be useful: Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings

has anyone used Angie's List for California? it's about $60/yr for joining, and I'd want to have access to truly helpful information...

HADD is an intersting site; but it's totally biased.

I'd suggest that if there is a builder's report card, there should be a similar 'customer' report card as well. The problem is that aside from obvious structural/cosmetic defects, much of the complaints posted here are a matter of perception.