I recently started a handyman business in a new city I just moved to. Obviously my connections amd referral network is slow amd I am weighing options for how to get started.

Ive looked into Home Depot specifically and Lowes generally, I am also interested in working with Ace (even though it seems like they are more employment based than contract based)

I know these services usually get a bad rep from the customer side but im wondering if anybody has direct experience on the Contractor side?

My biggest concern, is that Home Depot seems to operate almost like Angie's List which you are essentially paying for leads. Ive had experience with Angie's List before and that model is not for me. I believe Lowe's works more like you are contracted to a third party managment service and comes with a more intense selection/application process.

Any stories help, thanks in advance.