What Contractor Standards means
Contractor Standards is a voluntary conduct program for service providers who participate in the Trade Services Authority provider network. It is not a certification body, a licensing authority, or an industry regulator. It is a clear, public set of commitments that participating providers make about how they conduct business.
The program exists because customers deserve to know what to expect from the professionals they contact through our network. And providers deserve a framework that respects their independence while establishing a shared baseline of professionalism.
Code of Conduct
Participating providers agree to the following conduct commitments:
- Honest representation. You represent your qualifications, experience, licensing, and insurance accurately. You don't claim credentials you don't hold or capabilities you can't deliver.
- Accurate service information. You provide clear, truthful information about the services you offer, the areas you serve, and your availability. If something changes, you update it.
- Professional communication. You respond to customer inquiries promptly and professionally. You treat every customer with respect, whether or not you take the job.
- Fair pricing practices. You provide honest estimates and explain your pricing clearly. You don't use bait-and-switch tactics, hidden fees, or pressure techniques to inflate costs.
- Quality workmanship. You perform work to the standard you'd want in your own home. You stand behind what you do.
- Compliance with law. You maintain all required licenses, permits, and insurance for your trade and jurisdiction. You comply with local building codes and regulations.
Independence and Responsibility
Participating providers are independent businesses. They are not employees, agents, or representatives of Trade Services Authority or Contractor Standards.
This distinction matters. It means:
- You control your own business decisions — pricing, scheduling, hiring, scope of work, which jobs to accept or decline
- Trade Services Authority does not direct, supervise, or manage your work
- You are solely responsible for the quality and outcomes of services you provide
- Your relationship with customers is direct — Trade Services Authority is not a party to any agreement between you and your customers
- You maintain your own insurance, licensing, and legal compliance independently
Trade Services Authority's role is limited to operating the reference site network, managing call routing, and administering the Contractor Standards program. Everything else is your business.
The Contractor Standards Badge
Providers who participate in the program and maintain good standing may display the Contractor Standards badge. Here is what the badge means — and what it does not mean.
What the badge signals
- The provider has read and agreed to the Contractor Standards code of conduct
- The provider has made a public commitment to professional behavior, honest representation, and fair practices
- The provider is a participant in good standing in the Trade Services Authority provider network
What the badge does not mean
- It is not a professional certification or license
- It is not a government endorsement
- It does not guarantee the quality of any specific job
- It does not represent a warranty or insurance policy
- It does not imply Trade Services Authority has inspected or audited the provider's work
The badge tells customers one thing clearly: this is a professional who has made a clear conduct promise and is willing to be held to it. That's meaningful — but it is not a substitute for customers doing their own due diligence on licensing, references, and fit.
Limitations
Transparency requires us to be clear about what Contractor Standards is not:
- Not a certification program. We do not test, examine, or certify providers. Participation is based on agreement to the code of conduct, not on passing an evaluation.
- Not a licensing authority. We do not issue, verify, or enforce professional licenses. Providers are responsible for maintaining their own licensing compliance.
- Not a guarantee. Participation in the program does not guarantee the quality of any individual job, the financial stability of any provider, or the outcome of any service engagement.
- Not an employer. Providers are independent businesses. Trade Services Authority has no employer-employee relationship with any participating provider.
- Not a dispute resolution service. While we take conduct complaints seriously and may remove providers who violate the code of conduct, we do not mediate disputes between providers and customers.
We believe honesty about these limitations makes the program stronger, not weaker. You know exactly what you're participating in.
