How We Screen & Approve Contractors
Our Screening Process To Find Reputable Contractors
FIND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
When we first enter a city, we get involved in organizations and local entities that lead us to well-respected industry professionals who would be a part of our list. This approach allows us to help homeowners quickly find reputable contractors they can trust.
In other words, we seek out individuals and companies that work on a consistent basis with contractors but have nothing to gain by sharing their names with us. If they have been in business for many years, they have burned through many contractors to find the very few they trust time and time again. If we need a particular industry that is not being referred, we perform in-depth profiling to determine who we want to approach. We then require them to produce a list of industry professionals who can vouch for their quality and integrity.
A list of homeowners is not the same as a list of professional contractors or industry professionals who have done business with them for years.
MEET THE CONTRACTOR
Once we have the names of contractors they use consistently and can vouch for their integrity and quality, we call each contractor and request a face-to-face interview. This detailed vetting process helps homeowners confidently find reputable contractors who are committed to honesty and quality workmanship.
During the interview, we get a great understanding of why they are so highly referred. We get very personal with them in our interviews and talk with them about the financial standing of their companies and their goals for future growth. We also let them know that being a part of the list is a privilege that can be taken away if they do not perform with the highest integrity and quality. They sign an agreement that states they will refrain from high-pressure or high-fear sales tactics and that if we find out they are price gouging or needlessly upselling, they will be removed from the list.
Most of the contractors we speak to are very excited that there is finally a place that holds someone accountable. However, some companies, although very few, get angry that we try to “regulate” how they do business. Those companies are not part of The Good Contractors List®.
FIND OUT WHO THE GOOD CONTRACTORS KNOW AND TRUST
The good contractors that make it to the list usually have other contractors they respect and know personally that they refer work to on a consistent basis. Many times, because of the way we have built the list, they will even refer their competition if they are a good company. This network makes it easier for homeowners to confidently find reputable contractors who are trusted within the industry itself.
This is unheard of in any other form of advertising, but the contractors realize that the reputation of The Good Contractors List is only as good as the names on the list. They want to help us find the names of companies they don’t mind being associated with in their own industry. If we put a name on the list that is not well respected in the industry, then it becomes evident that we are doing this for the money and not the mission. Many of the most well-known companies in the public eye could never be a part of this list.
The tactics that allow them the luxury of huge advertising budgets and fleets of decked-out vehicles are not well respected by those contractors who just want to fix the actual problem and charge a fair and honest rate. Think about it.
PERFORM BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS
We also perform background investigations on the company and the personal background of the owner.
There are so many companies out there that bankrupt one company and immediately start a new one. We do not want anyone to fall prey to this type of contractor. So, we do not just take the contractor’s word for their integrity; we check and double-check. This level of diligence is part of our commitment to help homeowners find reputable contractors and ensure lasting peace of mind.
MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY INSURED
Every contractor is fully insured with the right amount of insurance. This added layer of accountability ensures that when you use The Good Contractors List, you’re working with trusted professionals — a proven way to find reputable contractors and protect your home.
We not only check to see if each company has the proper amount of insurance, but we also become a certificate holder on their policy, so there is never a chance they allow a lapse in coverage. If there is a contractor on our list who allows their insurance to lapse and does not renew it in a timely manner, we remove the contractor from the list. Our guarantee covers any issues that may arise from current or past mistakes by a contractor that is removed, so you are still safe.
LISTEN AND ACT ON FEEDBACK FROM THE CONSUMER
Finally, after we bring the contractor on, we listen to YOU to see how they are doing!
We do not believe in the review system because it gives anyone who wants to manipulate the system a way to either promote or degrade the contractor. The Good Contractors List® wants to know directly how our contractors are doing. If they hire the wrong employee, they need to know it, and so do we! The best way to provide the safest and most pleasant environment is to work together! Our contractors have reputations to uphold, and they are just as passionate about maintaining that reputation as we are to promote it. So, the homeowner’s feedback is of the utmost importance. If there is a complaint, it gets handled.
See The Good Contractor Guarantee for procedures for filing a complaint.
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