Then enter your zip code and fill in a brief registration form. You select merchants near you based on an initial price, then let them come back to you with competitive bids. Unfortunately, even though Handshake boasts 600,000 merchants nationwide, there wasn't anyone in my zip code willing to dust the cobwebs from my ceilings. After Handshake relaunched in mid May, I had better luck.
Handshake sets up contractual relationships with vendors and guarantees a minimum of three bids.
Pricing and services are given up front, so you don't need to worry about negotiating. And the site promises not to release your personal information to vendors unless you give your express permission. Currently, one of the downsides to using the site is that the database and vendor relationships are still a work in progress. That means that sometimes a zip code isn't working properly and doesn't always return good results. That fee is charged to your credit card once the appointment is confirmed.