Do You Need BBB Accreditation as a Roofer/Contractor?

Before online reviews were common, homeowners needed a way to vet contractors before they hired them. And one of the main companies that helped homeowners find trusted service providers was the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

For a few years, and even decades, it was highly recommended for roofers and contractors to get accredited by the BBB so that they could gain more business by establishing their trustworthiness. But now in the age of online reviews, is a BBB accreditation still necessary? Would not being accredited hurt your reputation as a contractor?

We rounded up a handful of opinions from expert contractors who shared their opinions on this topic on Facebook.

“Yes, by being a member I get leads that turn into jobs.”

Baret Hibbard

Hibbard Roofing

“Nay unless you’re a storm chaser and think it’s still a big deal.”

Benny Fisher

The Big Fish Contracting Company

“If you have a non rating, just keep that. Once you get started, it’s a necessary evil. You will just have to keep paying them what they want to keep your good rating. It’s a semi- racket in my opinion. It helps keep business if you have a good rating.”

Luke Prain

Cornerstone Construction

“Some people will literally turn you down if you don’t have one. One job who went through you because of it will pay for the whole year.”

Branden Delk

Alamo Roofing Contractors

“Is it a necessity? No. Is it a desire of many older folks to have as a qualification? Yes. Too bad they don’t know you just buy into it. We have it and will continue to just for the simple fact it’s a few hundred dollars and eases the minds of many elderly.”

Conner Budurka

Freedom Roofing and Restoration

“Home owners always ask me about BBB, so yes, it brings credibility.”

Izabela Castro

RidgeView Roofing

“I haven’t had a membership in 4 years and it hasn’t affected my business.”

Paul Pennington

JT Roofing

“While I will agree with most here in saying the BBB is nothing but a bureaucratic cash grab, however it is undeniable the value your clients will see in it. It brings much needed legitimacy.”

Derrick Uribe

Integrity Roof Repairs

“Yes! Get leads off BBB, so that alone pays for it plus some, but it’s also great for separating yourself from companies that don’t, good for branding, and good for SEO back links.”

Patrick McAfee

Roof Medics Roofing

The Verdict Is In

Dozens of contractors have weighed in about BBB accreditation. It seems that the majority consensus is that most contractors know the BBB is a pay-to-play set-up, which can feel scammy. But ultimately, most homeowners don’t know that.

The fee to join the BBB isn’t tremendous, so even if you get one deal from having a BBB accreditation, You’ll have made your money back easily. Plus, many elderly homeowners greatly rely on the BBB as a trust factor, and getting a backlink from their website is great for your website’s SEO strategy.

Here are our final takeaways:

• BBB accreditation doesn’t really hurt you one way or the other.
• If you don’t want to pay the fee for the accreditation, many homeowners won’t even notice as long as you have great online reviews and other trust factors.
• However, paying the small fee for accreditation also can be helpful. It may bring in a few extra leads or deals a year, making your ROI worth it.
• You don’t have to be a member to have an A+ rating, so you can always just pay the minimum amount!

Other Ways to Gain Credibility as a Contractor

Having an A+ rating with the BBB can definitely boost your creditability as a contractor. But whether you’re accredited or not, there are numerous other ways you can demonstrate that you’re a trustworthy company. One of the main ones is having numerous 5-star reviews. Be sure to always ask your happy customers to leave you a review after you complete their job.

Other trust factors include:

• Having an optimized, well-formatted, and personalized website design makes you look far more professional than if you have a cheap, clunky website built on a generic theme.
• Investing in a solid Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy will help you show up at the top of Google, which is where people are mostly looking for roofing and contracting services. If Google thinks you’re trustworthy, then so will homeowners.
• Set up strategic PPC ads (pay-per-click) on Google. Great website authority and a smart ad manager will have you raking in leads in no time.

If you’re not sure where to start with those extra trust-building strategies, you can leave the heavy-lifting to the Google Specialized Team at Hook Agency! Contact us anytime with any questions you have about digital marketing!