Editorial policy

Data first

Cost figures come only from building permit records. We do not publish a figure for a city unless it is backed by at least 20 permits, and we do not create pages for places where we have no data of our own.

Writing and review

Every guide has a named author. Before publication, a reviewer with hands-on experience in the trade checks the guide for accuracy. Pages show who wrote and reviewed them and when the data was last updated.

Updates and corrections

We refresh permit data every quarter. If you find an error, use the contact page and we will review it and note significant corrections on the page.

Independence

Advertisers and contractor networks have no say over our figures or rankings. Ads are labeled as advertisements.