30 Top Home Services

How to choose a home services company

Home services are different from buying a product. You are inviting someone into your home, often paying a deposit before any work starts, and judging quality only after the job is done. Checking the business carefully at the start is the simplest way to avoid a dispute later.

Licences, insurance and paperwork

Many trades need a licence or registration, and the rules vary by country, state and even city. Ask for the licence number and check it with the issuing body where possible. Ask whether the company carries liability insurance, and for workers in your home, how injuries are covered. Get the quote, the scope of work and the payment schedule in writing.

Lead platforms vs the people doing the work

Some websites match you with local providers rather than doing the work themselves. That can save time, but the platform and the worker are often separate businesses. Read reviews of the individual provider, and check what the platform guarantees if something goes wrong. On CandorRated, a provider's page lists the business behind the website where we could identify it, the age of its domain and any phone, email or address we found, which helps you tell a matching service from the firm doing the work.

Specific checks by service

• Moving: ask whether the estimate is binding, how weight or volume is measured and what extra charges can apply on moving day.
• Storage: look for price increases after an introductory rate and the rules for access and late payment.
• Solar and energy: find out if the deal is a cash purchase, a loan or a lease, and how that affects selling your home later.
• Security systems: check the length of the monitoring contract and the cost of ending it early.
• Pest control: recurring plans renew automatically; find out how to cancel.
• Caregivers and childcare: ask about background checks, references and how replacements are handled.

Common problems and how to avoid them

• Large deposits: keep upfront payments modest and tied to clear milestones.
• Work that drags on: agree a start date and a rough timeline in writing.
• Door-to-door offers: take time to compare before signing anything on the doorstep. Many places have a cooling-off period for these sales.
• Unpermitted work: ask who obtains any permits required. Unpermitted work can cause problems with insurance or a future sale.

Because these services are local, the country and city filters on this page are the quickest way to see providers near you.

Frequently asked questions

How many quotes should I get?

Two or three written quotes for the same scope of work make it easier to spot a price that is unusually high or low.

Should I pay the full amount up front?

It is safer not to. Paying in stages as work is completed gives you more leverage if something goes wrong.

What if a contractor leaves a job unfinished?

Contact them in writing with a deadline, keep photos and receipts, and check with your local licensing body or consumer agency about next steps.