The statistical validity of an individual rating varies, as the number of reviews about each company varies. We have more than 100 reviews on each of the 2008 Best Pick Companies. To help our readers understand the statistical validity of each rating, we list the number of reviews upon which each rating is based.
We develop a company's rating according to all of the data we have about that company. Our ratings are specific to a category; air conditioning contractors compete with other air conditioning companies for top ratings, not with roofers. Recent homeowner experiences are more heavily weighted than earlier experiences. We rate companies on the quality of work and service delivered, not on price. The best companies may not necessarily be the cheapest. When we rate companies within a category, we compare their weighted percentages of favorable reviews.
Even the best companies are not perfect. If you had a bad experience with a particular company, but many other homeowners have had great experiences with the same company, that company may still receive a high Home Reports rating.
