How we vet

We know every contractor
personally.

Before anyone joins Trovo, we've met them, verified their credentials, and called their past customers. This is not a background check. It's due diligence — the kind you'd do if you were hiring for a friend.

Our 5-layer process

What we check before
anyone joins our roster

Layer 1 — License & insurance verification

We verify every contractor's Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration directly on the state database. We confirm active general liability insurance (minimum $1M) and workers' compensation coverage. We check expiration dates and re-verify annually.

MA HIC registration confirmed on Mass.gov — not self-reported
General liability minimum $1M per occurrence
Workers' comp confirmed — protects you if someone is injured on your property
Re-verified every 12 months
Layer 2 — Business health check

We look beyond the license. How long have they been operating? What does their BBB profile show? Are they actually local to the Greater Boston market, or do they service it from 45 minutes away? We look for patterns in their Google reviews — not just the star rating, but what the negative ones say.

Minimum 3 years in business required
BBB complaints reviewed and assessed
Google reviews read in detail — patterns matter more than averages
Confirmed local presence in Greater Boston
Layer 3 — In-person founder interview

This is where most vetting services stop reading someone's website and start actually asking questions. We meet every contractor in person or on video before they join our roster. We ask the uncomfortable questions — the ones homeowners wish they'd asked before signing a contract.

"Do you use your own crew or subcontractors?" (And if subs — do you vet them?)
"What's your payment schedule? Do you ever ask for more than 1/3 upfront?" (Red flag if yes)
"Walk me through a project that went wrong. What did you do?"
"What does your timeline look like right now? When could you start?"
Layer 4 — Reference calls (we make them)

We call a minimum of 5 past customers — not email, not a form, an actual phone call. We ask questions that surface real information, not just "were you happy?" A good reference call takes 10 minutes. One honest answer can tell you more than 50 reviews.

"Did they finish on time? If not — by how much?"
"Did the final cost match the quote? Were there surprises?"
"How did they communicate during the project?"
"Would you hire them again without hesitation? Why or why not?"
Layer 5 — Ongoing performance tracking

Getting onto our roster doesn't mean staying on it. After every completed match, we follow up with the homeowner to ask how it went. This feedback directly affects which contractors we recommend going forward. Poor performance has consequences.

Personal follow-up call or message after every completed project
Feedback tracked against each contractor's profile
Two documented complaints = removed from roster, no exceptions
License and insurance re-verified annually
By the numbers

Our roster standards

3+
Years in business
Minimum operating history required before we consider anyone.
$1M
Liability insurance
Minimum general liability coverage, confirmed — not self-reported.
5
Reference calls made
Actual phone calls to past customers before joining the roster.
100%
MA HIC registered
Every contractor verified on the MA state database.
2
Complaints = removed
No second chances for patterns of poor performance.
12mo
Re-verification cycle
License and insurance checked every year, not just at onboarding.

What "vetted" usually means

A background check form they filled out
A license number submitted online
Reviews on their profile — written by strangers
A monthly fee that keeps them listed
No follow-up after a bad job

What Trovo vetting actually means

License verified on the MA state database
Insurance certificates confirmed and on file
5 past customers called by us personally
In-person interview with the founder
Removed after 2 complaints — real accountability

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