How we pick contractors
How roofing, HVAC, foundation, window and plumbing companies get on a FixRoster list, how each list is ordered, the official sources we use and what to check before you hire.
Updated
A roofer who tears off and replaces shingle roofs all week may not be the call for a leaking flat roof over a store, and an AC company that mostly installs new systems may take days to answer a repair. Home repair is a set of separate trades, so every FixRoster list covers one trade in one city, and each list asks its own question.
Being listed costs a company $0 and no company can pay to get in. We checked the licensing rules of 26 states and Washington DC, 27 places in all, and link each one to the agency that issues the license. Below, the five trades one by one: what the list asks, who it leaves out and what the state requires.
Roofing: who replaces roofs on homes?
Does the company repair and replace roofs on houses as its regular work? Metal roofing pages are for companies that install metal roofs as part of that work.
Left offGutter-only companies, siding companies with no roofing, suppliers.
At the state levelA state license for roofers exists in 12 of the 27 places. In Georgia and Texas the state neither licenses nor registers them.
HVAC: who installs and repairs the system in your house?
Does the company install and repair heating and cooling systems in homes, and not only sell the equipment or clean ducts?
Left offAppliance repair shops, duct cleaners that do nothing else, equipment distributors.
At the state levelRules differ by state. Technicians who handle refrigerant need EPA Section 608 certification everywhere.
Foundation repair: who stabilizes the house itself?
Does the company stabilize and repair house foundations, with piers, slab leveling or pier-and-beam work? Basement waterproofing pages are for companies that seal and drain basements.
Left offFirms that only pour concrete, engineers who inspect but never repair, remodelers who never touch a foundation.
At the state levelRules differ by state, and some leave the work to cities and counties. Our license check shows the rule state by state.
Windows: who replaces them in a home that already stands?
Does the company replace windows in existing homes?
Left offAuto glass shops, companies that only sell to builders.
At the state levelRules differ by state. In homes built before 1978 the EPA lead-safe rules apply.
Plumbing: who fixes pipes, and who comes when one bursts?
Does the company fix and install plumbing in homes? Emergency pages are for plumbers who send someone out at night and on weekends.
Left offPlumbing supply stores, septic pumping services with no plumbing work.
At the state levelA state license for plumbers exists in 21 of the 27 places.
How a company is placed on any of the five lists
Three ideas decide who is on a list and in what order, the same for every company in every city.
Daily work, not a side job
A crew that spends its week on this job goes ahead of one that takes it on once in a while. We tell them apart by how each company presents its own work.
What homeowners keep saying
We weigh what homeowners write about each company where any visitor can read it. Years of steady feedback outweigh a quick burst of praise, and a few comments carry less than hundreds.
The website and profiles, read closely
We read each company's website and official profiles: the jobs it takes and where, the license it shows, whether it says it is bonded and insured, how it handles estimates and what its warranty covers.
Agencies and records behind each list
When a public body keeps the records, we take them from that body and point to it, so you can verify every claim yourself.
| Source | What we use it for |
|---|---|
| State contractor licensing agencies of 26 states and Washington DC | The rule for each trade in each state and the official site where a license can be looked up. They are all in our contractor license check, each with a link to the rule. |
| NOAA, Storm Events Database | Verified National Weather Service reports of hail, for the hail history of each city and the storm dates insurers ask for. |
| Federal Trade Commission | The federal rules on door-to-door sales and its advice on hiring a contractor. |
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | The certification technicians need to handle refrigerant, and the lead-safe rules for work on homes built before 1978. |
| Texas Department of Insurance | What to do about an insurance claim after hail or wind. |
| Each company's own website | Services, coverage area, the license on display, warranty terms and published prices, like those in our service call fees, each dated when we read it. |
| Public customer reviews | How a company's name has held up over the years. Only comments any visitor can read count, never private messages or testimonials sent in to us. |
Free to be listed, paid only to be seen more
Our editorial judgment sets the order of every list, on merit. No payment buys a spot or alters the criteria. Only companies already on a list may pay, and the thing they buy is always labeled. Nothing from the jobs you hire out comes to us.
Staying current, fixing mistakes
Dates on every page
Every list and guide is dated with its last change or check, and each price shows when we read it on the company's site.
Every list gets another look from time to time. A company that shuts down, relocates or drops the trade is taken off.
Something wrong? Write in
Spot a mistake or an outdated detail? Email info@fixroster.us. We compare it with the source, correct it and update the date on the page.
Owners can also fix their own details whenever they like by claiming their page, free of charge.
Your part, before you sign anything
A place on a list is not our endorsement of the company.
Ask for the license number
Each state sets its own rules, and some leave it to cities or counties. Look the number up on the state's site, which you will find in our license check. Technicians who handle refrigerant must hold EPA Section 608 certification.
Storm roofing: call your insurer first
Call your insurer before you sign anything, and read carefully any form that lets a contractor deal with your claim or be paid by your insurer directly. Be wary of crews that knock on doors the day after a storm and come from out of state.
Foundation contracts: get an engineer
Get an opinion from an independent structural engineer before a large contract, and ask whether the warranty transfers when you sell the house.
Window jobs on pre-1978 homes
The company must follow the EPA lead-safe rules, and the firm should be certified for them. Ask for the energy ratings on the window label.
Who pulls the permit
Ask who pulls the permit. Most roof replacements, HVAC systems, water heaters and foundation repairs need one.
How much to pay, and when
Get the scope, the materials, the price and the warranty in writing, and pay as the work gets done, never most of it up front.
FixRoster editorial team. We have no ties to the companies we list. For questions about a list or this page: info@fixroster.us.