Research Methodology

Fully vetting each Best Pick company is something we take a lot of pride in. For each annual Best Pick Reports® publication, we analyze thousands of reviews from customers of home service providers, independently verify state-required insurance and licensing, and confirm each company's good standing with the state. Only the companies that meet our qualification standards are invited to participate in the Best Pick program.

The Best Pick® Certification Process

To establish the recommendations in Best Pick Reports®, we calculate a star rating based on the past three years of a company’s customer reviews.

We use our own survey platform, work with our sister research company GuildQuality to survey random samples of a company’s previous customers, and, if needed, analyze Google reviews. We also evaluate a company’s credit history and financial standing.

Only the companies that meet our qualification standards are invited to participate in the Best Pick program.

Best Pick Companies found in our report:
  • Maintain consistently high levels of customer service and satisfaction
  • Hold proper state-required licenses and insurance
  • Are in good standing with the state
BPR Research Cycle BPR Research Cycle research rating credentials invitation publication guarantee research rating credentials invitation publication guarantee

To establish the recommendations in Best Pick Reports®, we calculate a star rating based on the past three years of a company’s customer reviews.

We use our own survey platform, work with our sister research company GuildQuality to survey random samples of a company’s previous customers, and, if needed, analyze Google reviews. We also evaluate a company’s credit history and financial standing.

Only the companies that meet our qualification standards are invited to participate in the Best Pick program.

Best Pick Companies found in our report:
  • Maintain consistently high levels of customer service and satisfaction
  • Hold proper state-required licenses and insurance
  • Are in good standing with the state
RESEARCH
We rely on online reviews, independent surveys, and company financial data to identify top local companies in dozens of home service categories.
RATING
Every Best Pick company must maintain extremely high satisfaction rates.
At least 85% of responses via our in-house customer surveying must state that they would recommend the company to a friend or family member. We also look for a minimum of 25 Google reviews and a 4.0 or higher rating over the past 3 years.
CREDENTIALS
We verify that companies carry state-required licenses and insurance. All companies must also be active and in good standing with their Secretary of State.
We are insurance certificate holders for most Best Pick companies, including policies covering general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance when required by the state. Each year, we also verify that companies hold proper state trade licenses by referring directly to the appropriate state authorities.
INVITATION
Inclusion in Best Pick Reports is by invitation based on merit.
Companies cannot buy a good rating; they must earn it by having many satisfied customers and good reviews. We do not sell advertising space, improved ratings, or better placement in our report. Inclusion is by invitation alone, and that invitation is extended only if a company has met our strict qualifying criteria.
PUBLICATION
We publish Best Pick companies annually in our printed guides and online directory.
Each year we distribute our company recommendations to the public so that homeowners can make informed home service buying decisions. Qualified companies pay a fee that allows us to cover the cost of our qualification surveying and deliver our publication at no cost to homeowners.
GUARANTEE
The Best Pick Guarantee provides homeowners with security and confidence.
In the event that the work of a Best Pick company is unsatisfactory, the Best Pick Guarantee gives registered homeowners the ability to seek remediation in the form of additional service to resolve the issue and, when appropriate, financial reimbursement. To register and see full terms and conditions, please visit bestpickreports.com/guarantee.

How We Are Different

Getting referrals from your neighbors is a traditional method of identifying a company you feel you can trust, but a limited number of referrals does not always tell the whole story. This is why we take word of mouth to the next level by analyzing independent customer surveys and online reviews.

By proactively seeking homeowner feedback, we make sure that the reviews we use to rate companies are not from a biased, vocal minority, as is commonly the case with other online review guides and websites. Furthermore, companies cannot buy a good rating; the only way they can obtain the Best Pick designation is to earn it by having many satisfied customers and maintaining their stellar reputation year after year.

Other ways we are different:

Quality You Can Count On
Features a short list of top local companies and their accurate ratings
Stands behind recommendations with a service guarantee
Customer Satisfaction Research
Rates companies based on customer feedback
Relies on a dedicated team for qualification monitoring
Proactively publishes reviews
Credential Verification
Communicates with insurance agencies to verify coverage annually
Directly confirms trade licenses every year with state authorities
Prints all required trade license numbers for each company