On this page
Who makes our pages
We research and draft pages with the help of AI tools, check every figure against its source, and Erik Leavell edits and approves what we publish. The byline names the editor responsible for a page.
We don't invent experts or credentials. A "Reviewed by" line appears only when a named reviewer with a credential you can check has actually reviewed that page.
Where our numbers come from
Every cost range and price on a guide comes from our cost model when the page is built, so a page can't say one thing while its calculator says another. The model uses published price sheets, federal wage data and store prices; our methodology explains it and lists every price sheet.
We never take prices from other cost websites. A range is an estimate for a typical job, not a quote, and our cost guides say so. Other dollar figures, such as deductibles or FEMA averages, come from the sources listed on the page.
How we source claims
- Every guide lists its sources at the bottom of the page, with dates, and each one links to the original. Our own estimates link to our methodology.
- We prefer primary sources: state insurance departments, federal agencies such as FEMA, EPA, CDC and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, standard policy forms, statutes, and published contracts and price sheets.
- We describe industry standards, such as the IICRC's water damage standard, in our own words and never copy them.
- When sources disagree or a rule varies by state, we say so rather than pick the convenient answer.
How we check pages
- Before a page is published, a separate review, also done with the help of AI tools, checks every claim against its source and lists anything wrong, overstated or weakly sourced.
- We fix what it finds, and the riskiest claims on each page are flagged for Erik to look at before he approves it.
- Automated tests check that the calculator gives the same numbers the page shows, and that pages fit phone and desktop screens.
Independence
We may be paid when you call or contact a local company through our site; here's how. Companies and call networks that pay us have no say in what we write. They can't pay to change a price range, a Quote Checker result or our advice, and we don't rank or review companies.
How we write
Answer first, with the number. Plain words, short sentences, and the industry term after the plain one. We go after prices, fine print and practices, never companies or people, and we don't write to alarm you.
Updates
Each guide shows the month it was last updated. We plan to refresh price sheets and labor data at least twice a year, and we update pages when a rule or a source changes.
Corrections
If something looks wrong, email [email protected] with the page and what you found. We check it against the source and fix errors. When a correction changes a number or a conclusion, we note it on the page.