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How to Find a Pro You Can Trust: What Reddit Says

Reddit threads on finding a good contractor, mechanic, dentist, vet, stylist, pet sitter or tutor keep landing on the same answer: ask people who have actually hired them, then check the pro yourself. People add "Reddit" to a search because they want advice from real people, not a polished listing. So we read threads for seven kinds of pros to see what those people say works.

The short version: real people rarely start with a search box. They start with a neighbor, a coworker, a parts counter, a vet or a teacher. Below is what each thread said, and what's missing when the advice comes from a username instead of someone you know.

What Reddit says about finding a trustworthy pro

Everything below is paraphrased or briefly quoted from public threads. These are individual opinions, not professional advice, and each thread is linked.

Contractors: ask who they'd hire again

In r/HomeImprovement's "Where do you guys find quality & trustworthy contractors?", one commenter suggested finding good crews by looking at work you admire and asking who did it. Another pointed to neighbors, local groups and referrals from people who've used the contractor.

A second thread, "How do you actually find vetted contractors without getting screwed over?", gave a clear order of operations. One commenter said to start with a group of contractors "referred to you from friends, neighbors, co-workers, family," then verify license and insurance, then get a written contract. Another suggested asking the people behind a lumber yard counter who they enjoy dealing with. A third added: "Good contractors are proud to show their stuff, sketchy ones make excuses."

Dentists: ask someone who sees the work

In r/Dentistry, a person asked dentists how a patient with no inside knowledge could judge a dentist: "Dentists of Reddit; how would you find a 'good' dentist?". One dentist said "word of mouth is probably your best bet," then suggested picking a few candidates and asking people specific questions about them. Another commenter said: "Ask a dental technician to recommend a dentist," because technicians see which dentists do good work.

Mechanics: ask people who live there

In r/MechanicAdvice, "How do I find a good car mechanic?" drew a few approaches. One commenter said that if your area has a local subreddit, you can ask where people take their cars. Another avoids chains and goes by word of mouth for small shops, and treats a shop that's booked a week out as a good sign. One commenter noted that ASE certification is not a license and doesn't guarantee a better technician, so treat it as one input.

Vets: referrals from people you trust

In r/AskVet, a dog owner who had called 16 clinics asked how to screen vets before booking: "How I can screen vets before booking an appointment?". A commenter who wrote as a vet said you can't really screen before a visit, and that the way to choose is to "get referrals from people you trust." They also called third-party accreditation, such as AAHA, helpful.

Hair stylists: ask the person whose hair you like

In r/femalehairadvice, a poster who'd had a string of bad cuts asked "How do you find a hair Stylist?". One answer: "When you see someone's hair you like, ask them who cuts it." Others suggested asking people you know or posting on your own social media for a referral.

Pet sitters: ask the vet and the groomer

In r/petsitting, "What's the best way to find a trustworthy and reliable dog sitter?" got one reply to "Call established veterinarians and groomers in the area." The same commenter cautioned that some sitting services don't vet the people who sign up with them. Others suggested a neighborhood group, meeting a few sitters first, and paid trial walks.

Tutors: ask teachers and other parents

In r/Parenting, "How do you find tutors for your kid?" was a short thread, but the answers were consistent. A teacher said teachers refer students to each other all the time. Another suggested the school counselor, academic dean or principal. A former tutor said that after a first job through an online site, the rest of their work came "solely by word of mouth," and told the poster to ask other parents.

The pattern across every kind of pro

Different trades, same advice:

  • Start with people who've hired them. Neighbors, coworkers, friends and family came up in most threads.
  • Ask people who see many pros. A lumber yard counter, a dental technician, a vet, a groomer and a teacher all see lots of pros and know who's solid.
  • Look at the work, then check the credentials. Several commenters wanted to see similar finished work, a license or accreditation, and insurance where it applies.
  • Ask specific questions. "Would you hire them again?" tells you more than a name alone.

What a Reddit thread can't tell you

Reddit is great for the pattern. It's less helpful for the name. A comment comes from a username, so you usually don't know where the commenter lives, whether they hired that pro themselves, or how well you could trust their taste. You can't easily ask a follow-up question and get a reply from someone you'd recognize.

That's why so many of those threads end up at the same place: ask someone you know. The hard part is when you don't know anyone who has hired the pro you need, like when you're new to an area or looking for a trade nobody in your circle has used.

How MY PRO: TRUSTED PROS® fits in

MY PRO: TRUSTED PROS® is a social & professional networking app built around exactly what those threads describe. Its tagline is Word of mouth, made visible™. Pros are promoted by their real clients. When you look for a pro, you see pros promoted by people in your own network, up to second-degree connections, so you can see who vouches for a pro and how you're connected before you reach out.

It's meant for all kinds of pros, from mechanics and dentists to stylists, tutors, vets, pet sitters and contractors. You still do your own checks, like a license lookup or a written estimate, but you start with a name from someone in your network.

MY PRO: TRUSTED PROS® is launching in November 2026.

FAQ

What does Reddit say is the best way to find a good contractor?

In the threads we read, the most common answer was a referral from someone who has hired the contractor, such as a neighbor, coworker, friend or family member. Commenters then recommended verifying the license and insurance, seeing similar finished work, and getting a written contract.

Is Reddit a reliable way to find a mechanic or dentist?

It's useful for learning what to look for and which questions to ask. For a specific name, commenters themselves usually recommended asking people you know or people in the field, since a username can't tell you how they know the pro.

Who should I ask for a referral if I'm new to an area?

People who see many pros: a lumber yard counter for contractors, a dental technician for dentists, a vet or groomer for pet sitters, a teacher for tutors.

What should I ask a friend who recommends a pro?

Ask what they hired the pro for, whether the final price matched the quote, and whether they'd hire them again. See our guide to questions to ask a friend about their pro.

What is a second-degree connection?

It's a friend of a friend. On MY PRO: TRUSTED PROS®, you can see pros promoted by people in your network up to second-degree connections. Read more in Second-Degree Connections Explained.

Threads we read

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MY PRO: TRUSTED PROS® is launching in November 2026. Follow @mypro.app on Instagram for more.