How we research and rate Phoenix businesses
The research steps behind every Phoenix Picks list: real specialization, customer reviews, reliable details and regular revisions.
The research is the same for every list, whether it covers Argentine steakhouses, foundation repair or cryotherapy clinics.
We look at the whole field
Research begins with every Phoenix business filed under the topic and a close read of its services. A pool supply store is not a pool service, and a handyman is not a licensed electrician.
We check customer feedback
Ratings are weighed against the number of reviews: a handful of perfect scores means less than hundreds of good ones. We also look for repeated remarks about timing, pricing and how problems got fixed.
We verify the details
A live phone line, real opening hours and a working site are required. Businesses that look closed, or that list nothing useful, are left out.
We rate and order
Those findings decide who makes a list and in what order. Top placements, which businesses pay for, are the only exception and are always marked.
We keep researching
We return to lists over time, removing businesses that closed or declined and adding those that earned their place.
Hiring tips for the Valley
Arizona contractors must be licensed by the Registrar of Contractors: look up the license on the ROC website before you sign. Book A/C maintenance in March or April, before the first 100-degree day, and get pool and pest-control quotes in writing, with the visit schedule spelled out.