Trust infrastructure
Independence & how we make money
Trust only works if incentives are clear. This page states how Contractor Trust Hub is positioned — and what we will not do — so you can judge our research on the evidence, not on hidden commercial pressure.
What we are
An independent research tool that organizes official public records (starting with Florida construction licenses and Sunbiz entities) so homeowners and buyers can verify before they hire. Our tagline is literal: Before you hire, verify.
What we are not
- Not a lead marketplace. We do not sell your contact information to contractors. We do not run “get three free quotes” funnels that monetize your inquiry.
- Not a paid ranking product. Contractors cannot pay to appear higher in search or discovery. Ordering on browse pages is for navigation (e.g. active licenses first, then name) — not a quality score or sponsored placement.
- Not an endorsement engine. Showing a license record is not a recommendation to hire. Absence of discipline in our extract is not a certificate of excellence.
- Not a consumer reporting agency. We do not produce FCRA consumer reports for employment, credit, or insurance underwriting.
How we make money (today & later)
Today: the Florida Verify product is operated as independent research infrastructure. Consumer search, discovery, and Trust Reports are free to use. We do not charge contractors for placement.
Later (if ever): any revenue model must preserve independence. Acceptable examples include optional tools, data partnerships that do not alter consumer rankings, or network-level products that never sell leads or paid “featured” contractor slots. Unacceptable examples include selling homeowner leads, auctioning rankings, or accepting payment to suppress discipline history.
If our funding or revenue model changes in a way that affects this page, we will update it here — not hide it in fine print.
Network principles
Contractor Trust Hub is part of the Ask Trust Hub network alongside Move, Lender, and Insurance Trust Hub — independent research surfaces under common ownership, with separated research and listing order and no paid placements. Network principles favor evidence over opinion, transparency over black-box scores, and user agency over capture. We would rather show less data than invent a false link or a paid “top contractor” badge.
- Prefer official public sources over user reviews or paid directories
- Prefer no Sunbiz link over a low-confidence guess
- Publish methodology so others can challenge our rules
- Provide a corrections path when we are wrong
Conflicts of interest
We do not accept payment from contractors to alter Trust Reports, search results, or discovery listings. Staff and operators should not have undisclosed financial interests that depend on promoting a specific contractor through this product.