Christchurch Man On A Matchmaking Mission

After many years in Europe, local man Ash Gilmore is back home and is on a matchmaking mission.

His website JustQuoteMe.co.nz connects tradespeople and others offering services, with those rebuilding their lives in Christchurch, and things are very busy indeed.

Gilmore returned to Canterbury from Sweden with his young family because he wanted to be part of the rebuild. Now JustQuoteMe.co.nz is experiencing a steady growth in interest from homeowners and tradies, and he expects that to continue.

“As some people settle with their insurance companies or EQC, they are ready to get on with it but some don’t know where to go for good tradespeople or who is even available,” he says. That’s where JustQuoteMe.co.nz can and does help. As the rebuild gets fully underway, finding quality builders and electricians will become more difficult – again our website will help people in that situation too.”
A former Kaiapoi High School student, Gilmore was living in Europe at the time he came up with the idea and decided to return to the quake ravaged city, to help with the rebuild and reconnect with friends and family who had been through a “hell time”.

“IT (information technology) is what I do and this is a way I can help people move forward. Time is not a commodity many have in abundance these days and if JustQuoteMe.co.nz can make things easier for those affected by the quakes, that’s what we’re all about.”

“I grew up in North Canterbury and I just knew I had to come home and be a part of the rebuild,” he says. “I knew there were other websites based on a similar idea however I wanted to provide something aimed particularly at helping the people in Canterbury, that had a name and face based here, that was simpler to use than other sites and which put the customer first,” he says.

To that end, there is much emphasis on the quality of work undertaken by the JustQuoteMe registered tradespeople, with reviews from customers, recommendations and close moderation of the website at all times. Ashley says this will help weed out the cowboys, and those with more criminal aspirations.

“In Christchurch last year a woman lost thousands of dollars worth of jewellery after she used a maintenance man, the details of whom she found on a noticeboard in a local shop. People don’t have time to check credentials which in the long run, can have expensive and potentially dangerous repercussions,” he says.

Ash adds, “Some tradies are not busy because the rebuild hasn’t really got fully underway yet and as a result, some are thinking about leaving Christchurch or New Zealand. If they need work during this “calm before the storm” period, we would encourage them to register as we have plenty of people who need them.”
It is free for tradespeople and customers to register on JustQuoteMe.co.nz, and free for ‘tradies’ to quote on jobs until the end of May 2012, after which time it will cost them $5 per quote. No more than 5 quotes per job are forwarded to the client.
ENDS

Please call Ali Jones on 027 247 3112 for more information or to arrange an i/v with Ashley Gilmore.

JustQuoteMe.co.nz supports Recover Canterbury’s campaign – ”Get Into It Christchurch”
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