How we review contractors
Our directory has two kinds of listing, and every listing says which it is.
Listed and Reviewed
- Not yet reviewed: a business found in public business information (Google Maps business listings) when we searched for seawall, bulkhead, dock, pier, boat lift and marine contractors across the country. We show its name, address, phone and website, and the searches it appeared in. We have not checked its licenses, insurance, capabilities or work, and appearing in a search for "seawall repair" does not mean a company does seawall repair. We do not show star ratings or reviews from other sites.
- Reviewed: a business that has passed the checks below. Reviewed listings show each check, its result and the date.
We filter out businesses that are clearly not marine contractors (boat dealers, supply stores, restaurants and the like), but some unrelated businesses may remain. If you find one, or if a listing is wrong, tell us.
What we check before a listing is marked Reviewed
- The business exists. Registered business entity, physical business address and working phone, checked against public records.
- Waterfront capability. Evidence of completed seawall, bulkhead or dock projects, such as permitted project records or photos the provider gives us permission to publish. We list only the capabilities we have evidence for; seawall experience does not imply dock or inspection capability.
- Service area. The towns and waterbodies they actually serve, confirmed with the provider.
- Insurance. A current certificate of liability insurance from the insurer or agent. We record the expiry date and recheck.
- Licenses. Any license the provider holds or the work requires, checked with the issuing agency.
- Complaints and reviews. A look at public complaint records and review patterns. We note concerns; we do not publish review scores we did not collect.
How we label listings
- Checked items appear with the date and result. If a check was not done, the listing says so.
- Sponsored appears on any listing where the provider pays us for placement or referrals. Sponsorship does not change the checks or their results.
- We do not call anyone "best", "top rated" or "certified" unless a named, current source supports it.
What our checks cannot tell you
Our review is a starting point, not a guarantee. It cannot predict workmanship on your job, confirm a design is right for your site, or replace your own references and written contract. Always get a written proposal, check insurance yourself, and ask the questions in our hiring guide.
Removing or updating a listing
We recheck listings at least once a year and when insurance expires. We remove listings when checks lapse or when we find credible evidence of problems. Providers can ask us to correct information through the contact page.
For businesses
If your business is listed and you want details corrected, want to be reviewed, or want the listing removed, contact us. There is no fee to be listed or reviewed, and we act on removal requests.