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In force: LOCAL STANDARD Edition 2027 Register updated How we make money
Methodology

How assessment works

Every result on Local Standard comes from the same process: published requirements, checks against records, and a decision of met or not met for each requirement, with the date.

Method updated

§1

Requirements, edition 2027

A business meets the standard only if it meets every requirement below. There is no partial pass and no score.

Identity and contact

  • LS-01

    Business identity confirmed

    The business operates under the name shown.

    How we check: Public business records and listings, on the check date.

  • LS-02

    Address confirmed

    The address shown is real and belongs to the business.

    How we check: Public records and map listings.

  • LS-03

    Phone number reaches the business

    The published phone number is answered by the business.

    How we check: Test call and public listings.

  • LS-04

    Website confirmed

    The website shown belongs to the business and is live.

    How we check: Checked directly on the check date.

Review record

  • LS-05

    Minimum review volume

    At least the minimum number of public reviews set in the method.

    How we check: Counted on the check date from public review sources.

  • LS-06

    Minimum average rating

    An average public rating at or above the minimum set in the method.

    How we check: Calculated to one decimal before comparing.

Recorded, not required

These are checked and shown on every business record with their source, reference and date, but are not requirements of edition 2027. A future edition may make them requirements; we will publish the change first.

  • R-1

    State license

    Active on the state licensing board's public lookup.

    Public record

  • R-2

    Business registration

    An active entity on the state business registry.

    Public record

  • R-3

    Permit history

    Permits pulled under the license, in county permit records.

    Public record

  • R-4

    Liability insurance

    A current certificate, supplied by the business; names and dates checked.

    Supplied by the business

§2

Step by step

  1. Register

    We record the businesses we find for each service and area, from public business listings.

  2. Record checks

    Identity, address, phone and website are checked against public records and directly, and each result is dated.

  3. Review record

    Public reviews are counted and averaged on the check date against the published minimums.

  4. Decision

    Each requirement is marked met or not met. Every requirement met: the business is listed.

  5. Publication

    The result is published with the edition applied and the check dates. Lists are A to Z.

§3

Evidence we use

Public records

Business registrations, public business listings and, where recorded, the state license lookup. We point to state records instead of reprinting license numbers.

Direct checks

Test calls to the published phone number and a check that the website is live and belongs to the business.

Review sources

Review counts and ratings from public review sources on the check date.

Business documents

Documents a business sends, such as an insurance certificate, are labelled “supplied by the business”. Details it only states are labelled business-supplied.

§4

Between checks

Checks are re-run at each register update. If a requirement stops being met, the status is removed and the record says why. Homeowner reports can trigger an early re-check of a single requirement.

§5

What is not evaluated

The standard is a floor, not a judgment of quality. It does not cover:

  • Quality of workmanship or designWe don't inspect finished work or judge how it looks. See completed jobs yourself.
  • Prices or value for moneyThe standard says nothing about whether a quote is fair.
  • TimelinesWe don't track how long jobs take or whether deadlines are met.
  • Financial health or bondingWe don't review accounts, credit or surety bonds.
  • SubcontractorsOnly the business itself is checked, not the trades it hires.
  • Permit and inspection outcomesWhether finished work passes inspection is the inspector's job.
  • Whether reviews are genuineWe count public reviews but can't prove every review is real.
  • Licensing scopeA recorded license check shows status on the date, not whether it covers your exact job.
§6

How we're funded

Payment can fund an assessment. Passing requires meeting the published requirements.

Where the money comes from

  • Assessment fees from businesses that apply
  • Optional enhanced profiles, labelled on every listing
  • A fee per quote request a business receives through us

What money never does

  • Buy a pass. The fee is the same whether a business passes or not.
  • Change the order. Lists are A to Z.
  • Hide a result or a correction.
  • Change what a standard requires.
§7

Questions about the standard

What does the standard require in this edition?
Four record requirements (business identity, address, a phone that reaches the business and a website that belongs to it) and two review requirements: a minimum number of public reviews and a minimum average rating. All six must be met on the check date.
How do I see which requirements a business met?
Each business record lists every requirement with its code, the result, where the evidence came from and the check date. Recorded checks such as the state license are shown below the requirements.
Which things does the standard leave out?
Workmanship, design, prices, timelines, financial health, subcontractors and inspection outcomes. The standard is a floor, so judge those yourself.
How can a business come to meet the standard?
By meeting every published requirement. A business can apply for an assessment, fix anything it missed and ask for one free re-check; a fee never decides the result.