The problem with stars
The review economy has been gamed. The home improvement market handles over £28 billion in spending per year in the UK. Most homeowners spend their largest discretionary budget on a contractor they know almost nothing substantive about.
What star ratings miss
Payment behaviour
Does the contractor pay their subcontractors on time? A review from a satisfied homeowner says nothing about what happened to the plasterer and the plumber after the job was complete.
CDM compliance
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 place legal duties on contractors. Most homeowners have no idea whether their contractor has ever read the regulations, let alone followed them.
Insurance currency
A contractor can show you a certificate of public liability insurance dated 18 months ago. Is it still current? A review system cannot answer this.
How Builder Score works
Builder Score is a 0–1000 trust rating, calculated across five weighted dimensions: verified reviews (0–200), CDM and health & safety compliance (0–200), payment behaviour (0–200), dispute history and outcomes (0–200), and insurance and accreditation (0–200).
A Builder Score above 800 indicates a contractor with a strong, multi-dimensional trust profile. Above 900 (Platinum tier) indicates outstanding performance across all dimensions.