How we score & rank contractors

1. Verification

Every listing is matched to a real California CSLB license record. We read the license number, classification (C-39 roofing), status, bond, and workers' compensation directly from the state's public records and re-check them on a recurring schedule. A contractor can't appear here without a verifiable license.

2. The AEO score (0–100)

The AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) score measures how discoverable a contractor is to AI search. It combines six factors:

• Verification — active license, bond, workers' comp.
• Citation Presence — whether AI search answers already cite them.
• Profile Completeness — how fully the listing is filled in.
• Service Coverage — specialties and services documented.
• Geographic Coverage — mapped location and service area.
• Content Authority — website, descriptive depth, retrieval-readiness.

Each contractor's score breaks down into these categories with specific strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations — visible on every listing.

3. AI citation tracking

We test discoverability by running real roofing queries through an AI answer engine with live web search, and record whether a contractor is cited and which competitors appear instead. That signal feeds the citation score and powers each contractor's share-of-voice versus nearby competitors. Where available, we layer in multi-engine citation data — ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, and Google AI — tracked via Otterly.

4. Ranking

Rankings are ordered by the AEO score — a blend of verification, citation signals, profile completeness, and retrieval readiness. Never paid placement. The same structured data we publish (schema.org RoofingContractor, license identifiers, specialties) is what AI answer engines read when they recommend a pro.

Data freshness

Listings are verified against CSLB records on a recurring cadence and re-scored continuously. Structured data carries a live dateModifiedso engines know it's current.