How We Vet & Rank Builders

Last updated July 2026

What Gets a Builder Listed

We compile the directory from public, verifiable sources: the Housing First Minnesota member and Top 25 builder lists, Parade of Homes, Remodelers Showcase and Artisan Home Tour participation, NARI membership, and our own market research. Listing is free — builders do not pay to appear in the directory, and no builder can pay to be listed if they don't meet the criteria below.

  • Licensing. Minnesota residential contractors must hold a Department of Labor & Industry BC license. We verify license numbers against the DLI public lookup and display them (with the verification date) as we confirm each one. Profiles without a displayed license number are still in the verification queue — never assume; check dli.mn.gov yourself before contracting.
  • Real service areas. We map each builder to the specific cities they actually serve, from their own published materials and project history — not a metro-wide blanket.
  • Awards, verified. Awards shown (Reggie, Parade of Homes, NARI CotY, Top 25) come from the granting organizations' public lists.
  • Ratings, never fabricated. Where we show Google ratings and review counts, they come directly from Google's data and link to the source. Profiles without a rating shown simply haven't been synced yet — we display nothing rather than an estimate.

How Directory Pages Are Ordered

Directory listings are ordered by a consistent, data-driven rule: verified awards and recognition first, then rating where available, then alphabetically. One clearly labeled "Featured" position at the top of directory pages is reserved for advertising — when it is sold, it is always visually labeled as featured placement and never mixed into the organic order. (As of this update, featured positions are not yet sold.)

How We Make Money (Advertising Disclosure)

HomeBuildersMN is free for homeowners. We are compensated by builders in two ways: builders may pay for featured placement (always labeled), and when you use our matching service, we may be paid by builders who receive your project details as a lead. This compensation does not change who appears in the directory, the editorial content of profiles, or the organic ordering described above. Some builders we match you with may be advertising partners; many are not.

Editorial Independence

Profile descriptions, city guides, and cost content are written by our editorial team from public sources and builder materials. Builders cannot pay to edit their editorial description, remove verified information, or alter cost guidance. Corrections of factual errors are always free: email hello@homebuildersmn.com.

What We Are Not

We are not a contractor, broker, or agent of any builder, and a listing here is not a guarantee of work quality. Verify licensing and insurance directly, check references, and read our guides on contracts and budgeting before signing anything.