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How we rank
No pay-to-play. No random reviews. Just the legwork a homeowner doesn't have time to do.
Pick one trade in one town
Each ranking covers a single job, like drain cleaning or water heater installs, in a single market. Homeowners don't hire "contractors," they hire someone to fix one thing.
Build the field from public sources
We pull the companies that actually do that work locally, then describe each one from its own website, or its Google listing when a site isn't available.
Compare what matters to the homeowner
Quality, reliability, value and real performance: who answers, who prices up front, who fixes the cause, and how many real customers back up the rating.
Publish the video and the reasons
The contenders are listed alphabetically and the top-rated pick is revealed at the end, with the reasons it won written out on its ranking page.
What we look at
- Quality. What the company actually does, in its own words, and whether it does the specific job the ranking is about.
- Reliability. Availability, response, after-hours policies, and whether they fix the cause or just the symptom.
- Value. Upfront estimates, written quotes, and whether the price on the estimate holds.
- Real performance. Star ratings weighed together with how many reviews back them up, so a perfect score from five reviews doesn't outrank a near-perfect score from hundreds.
What we don't do
Businesses don't pay to be included and don't pay to win. Rankings are editorial opinion based on public information as of the date shown on each ranking, and they're a starting point. Always confirm licensing and insurance and get quotes in writing before you hire.
The badges
The top-rated pick in each ranking earns the #1 Top Ranked badge. Every business in the ranking earns a Best in Area badge. See the badges.
New rankings every week
Subscribe on YouTube and see who we'd call first in your town.