Get the good Recs

If you find a service person (plumber, contractor, roofer, real estate person) you like and is good at their job, ask them for recommendations of other people they like. Good folks know who's good in the game so if you find one person who's excellent, chances are they know other people who are also excellent at their job. There's a lot of people who are pretty shitty at their jobs but this is one way to weed them out without paying (literal money) to find out.