Licence and trade credentials
I verify the licence when the work requires one, including the name, status and business it belongs to. For electrical work, the contractor must be ESA/ECRA licensed.
No exceptions for electricalThe Scoop Approved Standard
A badge should mean something.
Contractors pay an annual membership, but they do not pay their way through the vetting process. Every person must clear the same checks before their profile goes live.
Membership is paid. Approval is earned.Before approval
Five checks, every time
This is what I look for and what each check actually means for you as a homeowner.
Current insurance
I review proof of active commercial liability insurance and record the renewal date. Insurance is checked again when it expires.
Three real reference calls
I speak to three recent customers, not just read written testimonials. I ask what the job cost, how problems were handled, whether the contractor showed up, and if they would hire them again.
Work and business practices
I review examples of completed work and how estimates, changes, deposits and cleanup are handled. Good craft matters, but so does a clear process.
A one-on-one interview with me
I talk directly with the person homeowners will be dealing with. We cover the jobs they are best suited for, the jobs they should decline, communication expectations, pricing clarity and what accountability looks like after the work is done.
Approval is not permanent
When a contractor gets removed
The standard only has value if it is enforced after someone joins. A contractor will be paused while a serious concern is investigated and removed when the facts show they no longer meet the standard.
- Insurance lapses or cannot be verified
- A complaint remains unresolved
- Bait-and-switch pricing or undisclosed charges
- No-shows or repeated poor communication
Membership fees never factor into a removal decision. If the standard is broken, the listing comes down.
What approval does and does not mean
A serious filter, not a guarantee.
Vetting lowers risk, but it cannot eliminate it. Scope, site conditions, materials and communication all affect a project. Homeowners should still get a written estimate, confirm the scope, ask questions and make their own hiring decision.