Methodology
How Restoration Index calculates the MetaScore. Published in full so any visitor (and any ranked firm) can audit the math end to end.
What the MetaScore is
Every firm in the index receives a single 0–100 MetaScore that summarizes its performance across the public signals restoration consumers and insurance adjusters typically use to evaluate a firm. We do not invent ratings, we do not gate the score behind paid placement, and we do not weight subjective inputs. Every component score traces back to a third-party source the public can independently verify.
The sources we use
The 9 sources below are weighted to reflect what consumers and insurers actually look at when picking a restoration firm. Weights sum to 1.00 across all sources.
Total weight: 100%.
How each source is scored
Every component is normalized to a 0–100 sub-score before being weighted. Reviews components blend average rating with volume on a log scale, so a firm with a few perfect reviews does not outscore a long-established firm with hundreds of reviews and a slightly lower average. Certifications and award components are scored as binary recognitions (held / not held) with bonus credit for multiple certifications. Tenure scales linearly from year zero up to roughly 25 years.
Missing data
When a firm has no data for a particular source (for example, no Yelp page), the component is dropped from that firm's calculation rather than filled in from another source. The remaining weights are redistributed proportionally so the firm is scored fairly against the data we do have. The per-firm "MetaScore Breakdown" section shows exactly which components carried weight for that firm.
Refresh cadence
Review counts and ratings are refreshed every 30 days. BBB profiles refresh every 60 days. Certifications and tenure refresh every 90 to 180 days. Award components refresh annually. The most recent refresh date is shown on every ranking page.
How firms can improve their MetaScore
Every component is a real signal that a real consumer or insurer can verify. There is no shortcut. The most effective improvements are:
- Build genuine review velocity on Google Business Profile and Yelp. Customers who actually had a good outcome are the people you want writing reviews; structured review requests after job completion typically lift volume 3 to 5 times without changing average rating.
- Accredit with the BBB and resolve outstanding complaints. The letter rating plus accreditation status is one of the highest-weight components.
- Hold and maintain IICRC certifications across S500 (water), S520 (mold), S540 (trauma), and ASD (applied structural drying). Each major certification adds to the certifications sub-score.
- Register with the EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm program if you work in pre-1978 housing. Free, public, takes about 8 hours of paperwork.
- Pursue annual recognitions from Angi, HomeAdvisor, and regional industry awards (BoSC, Best of [City], RIA recognitions). These compound year over year.
Corrections
If you believe a component score is incorrect for your firm — for example, you hold an IICRC certification we missed, or your BBB rating recently changed — you can request a correction on the contact page. Verified corrections typically apply within 5 business days.
What we are not
Restoration Index is an editorial publication, not a contact directory. We do not publish firm phone numbers or take service inquiries on behalf of ranked firms. If you need restoration help right now, contact the firm directly through their website, BBB profile, or Google Business Profile.
We also do not accept paid placement. Firms cannot pay for a higher MetaScore. The entire ranking system is published; if it could be gamed by payment, it would not be trustworthy to the readers we are trying to serve.