There are three basic reasons people choose to renovate: When they have the money, when something needs fixing, and when they want to sell. Increasingly, their projects are being posted online via web-based services like <handycanadian.com> and the latest, bidmyreno.com that launched in Canada in July, 2009.

Bidmyreno gives home and business owners a way to save both time and money by providing them the opportunity to post their projects listed by region and schedule. It's free to post projects, and contractors pay a competitively priced monthly subscription rate. Unlike similar sites, contractors can register for free and browse posted projects before committing.

Jeff Parkes and Melissa Denyes created the site with help from Tom Krul, vice-president.

“When it comes to clients, they are really scared they are going to hire someone who is not good at their job or someone who is going to run out on them,” says Krul. “We wanted to see this as a live approach, where contractors and project posters can see things in real time. It makes things a little more exciting and social.”

Since it launched, Bidmyreno has had an average of five to ten projects posted daily in 250 municipalities across North America and has generated $15 million worth of projects in eight months. “It's exciting to know there is that much going on; there is a lot of work out there,” says Krul.

This new web service is expanding in the summer to provide more commercial options like those in hotels and offices, and hopes to get major cities involved and posting projects soon.

“A part of what we are building on is having more of an option for clients who are looking to save time and money in the long run. They don't want to have to explain their project over and over again. They let the website do the legwork.”

Bidmyreno guides both contractors and clients along the way with useful tips and suggestions. For property owners, makers of the website warn against accepting the lowest-priced bid, but rather, going for the best time frame, and someone with a great portfolio instead. Alternatively, Bidmyreno offers the following tips for contractors:

-Look for projects that have a low number of bids because there may be a lack of certain trades available.

-Refine your pitch. Clients do not readily respond to bids that simply say “call me.”

-Put in a price range or mention a price of a recent similar job you’ve done.

-Check out when the project needs to be completed and let them know when you’re available.

-Let them know if you’re part of an association.

-Provide online links to successful past projects that you’ve posted through a website or photo-sharing website like <flickr.com>.

Keep busy between larger jobs and visit bidmyreno.com today to pick and choose your next project!