Helping DC Building Professionals Validate Their Work
and Attract Business
LAUNCHING ON TUESDAY, MARCH 9
Owning a home requires maintenance, repairs and renovations. How do homeowners know if they are hiring the best contractor to do the job?
To help District residents and businesses hire contractors and building professionals with more confidence, next week, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is introducing the new DCRA Contractor Rating System. The concept is simple: DCRA uses objective data to assign a rating of between one and five stars to licensed building professionals doing business in the District.
The creation of the DCRA Contractor Rating System included significant input from the DC building industry, including focus groups, surveys, and product demos. Feedback from the building community enabled us to create a better product that we hope will prove to be a valuable tool for both you and your clients.
Benefits of the DCRA Contractor Rating System
For the building professional, the Contractor Rating System also creates opportunities for honest contractors with proven records to:
- Attract new business
- Secure potential clients by sharing your rating as a way to validate your work
- Differentiate yourself from competitive bad actors, who oftentimes charge less for shoddy work
- Promote the experience of building professionals doing good work in the District
- Promote their business website for free
Scoring
Building on our expressed policy of transparency, the DCRA Contractor Rating System uses objective data to assign a rating to licensed building professionals doing business in the District.
While the scoring takes into account a variety of factors, generally, building professionals are scored most heavily on the areas where they have the greatest impact on a project.
More About the Rating System
The Contractor Rating System is a beneficial resource for all of our customers, including licensed building professionals. We are launching the Contractor Rating System with Architects and Interior Designers, General Contractors, and Home Improvement Contractors initially.
Phase two will include Electricians; Plumbers, Gasfitters and Sprinklers; and Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Mechanics. The final phase will include the addition of Permit Expediters and Professional Engineers, at which time the system will be complete.
This phased approach allows users to make suggestions for improvements and update their website information and photographs prior to including subsequent professional types. If you would like to update your photograph or include a website for your business, reach out.
Likewise, if you have concerns that there is an issue with your scoring, please contact us to have a DCRA representative look at your project. We will respond within three business days.
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