We use public records to help you make a shortlist. They show what a contractor has filed and where they have worked in New York City. They can't tell you whether someone will be right for your home.
67% of the 5,943 firms on the New York City permit file match an active license in NYC Department of Buildings license records and DCWP home improvement contractor licenses. Our match can miss a firm that files under another name, so a missing match is a reason to check, not a finding.
Ask the contractor for the license number and look it up at NYC Buildings. How to check a contractor's license in New York →
The middle value recorded on this contractor's matching permits. It's a permit value, not a quote or the final price. Ask for a written estimate.
Matching New York City permits in the most recent year of our data. It shows recent recorded activity here, not every job the company did.
For contractors with at least 5 permits a year or more old, the share that reached sign-off. A permit can stay open because of paperwork or timing, so this isn't a workmanship grade.
How fast their permits get signed off compared with other NYC contractors in the trade. Building trades use the letter-of-completion date; electrical uses how quickly permits close. Shown for firms with 10+ permits (20+ for electrical).
Matched by name against NYC Department of Buildings license records and DCWP home improvement contractor licenses. Name matching can miss a license, so always check the number yourself.
About the ranking: The score combines how much of this exact work a contractor has on record, how often their older permits reached completion (where we can measure it), how well their usual job size matches your budget, how recently they've been active, and how much of their work is near you. A measure we can't calculate is left out rather than guessed, and a thin record pulls the score toward the middle. A contractor whose matched license has a problem is listed after everyone else. You set the weights with the sliders on every list.
New York City specifics: The city's records show stale license status for many electricians, so for them we show the license number with “status not published”. Check it yourself on DOB NOW.
Build your list All New York City firms A–Z
The numbers: New York City permit statistics · How long permits take in New York City
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