The Process
How It Works
We Collect Data
Customer reviews, Florida DBPR records, insurance verification, HVHZ qualification, and business details — all from public sources.
We Score Five Factors
Each contractor is evaluated across five weighted categories totaling 100 points.
We Assign a Grade
Points map to a letter grade from A (best) to F (insufficient data). Updated as new information becomes available.
Scoring Breakdown
The Five Factors
Each factor is weighted to reflect what matters most when hiring a garage door contractor in Florida.
We aggregate ratings from Google, the BBB, and industry-specific platforms. But we don't just look at the star average — review volume, recency, and how the contractor responds to complaints all factor in. A shop with 150 reviews averaging 4.6 scores higher than one with 5 perfect reviews.
Florida requires contractors to register with the DBPR, and coastal installations in Miami-Dade and Broward must meet HVHZ wind-load code. We verify general liability insurance, workers' compensation, bonding, and HVHZ-approved product knowledge. Manufacturer certifications from Clopay, CHI, and Wayne Dalton earn additional points.
Years in business serving Florida homeowners. A contractor who has weathered multiple hurricane seasons — and the post-storm repair rushes that follow — has proven they can run a durable operation. Snowbird-season demand swings also separate mature shops from fly-by-nights. New shops aren't penalized, just scored more cautiously.
Verified phone number, functional website, clear service area, and published business hours. Contractors who make it easy to reach them and understand what they do score higher than those with scattered or outdated information — important when you're scrambling during hurricane prep or a broken-spring emergency.
Whether garage doors are their core business, not a side service bolted onto a general handyman shop. Dedicated specialists tend to carry the right parts, know which doors survive salt-air corrosion, train their techs on impact-rated installations, and honor warranties.
Point Totals
The Grade Scale
Points are totaled and mapped to a letter grade. Only A and B contractors are featured prominently in our directory.
Excellent reviews, verified credentials, strong track record, dedicated specialist.
Solid reputation, good credentials, and clear specialization. A safe pick.
Decent but with limited information or mixed reviews. Worth a second look.
Sparse profile, very few reviews, or credential gaps. Get multiple quotes.
Not enough public data to form a judgment. Not featured in our directory.
FAQ
The Fine Print
Can contractors pay to improve their grade?
No. Our grades are generated from public data and cannot be influenced by payment, advertising relationships, or listing claims. If a contractor disputes their grade, we review the underlying data — but the scoring formula applies equally to everyone.
How often are grades updated?
We refresh contractor data on a rolling basis. Major changes (new reviews, DBPR registration updates, business closures) are reflected in the next monthly grading pass. After a named storm, we also run an out-of-cycle refresh to flag contractors handling surge volume.
Why isn't every contractor in Florida listed?
We only list contractors with enough public data to score meaningfully. If a shop has no online presence, no reviews, and no verifiable credentials, there's nothing to grade — and nothing to recommend to a homeowner preparing for hurricane season.
What if I think a grade is wrong?
Send us the specifics through our contact page. If we find an error in the underlying data, we'll correct it and rerun the score.