Scoring
The dimensions that matter.
Scores are category-specific. A provider can be strong for garage conversions and weaker for prefab. That is normal; pretending otherwise is nonsense.
| Dimension | Weight | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ADU specialization | 20% | Does the provider show a real ADU practice rather than a generic construction menu? |
| Permit and drawing support | 15% | Can the provider help before construction, when feasibility and plans still matter most? |
| City/service area fit | 15% | Does the provider serve the city named on the page and understand local review patterns? |
| Budget clarity | 15% | Does the provider make assumptions, allowances, and cost drivers visible? |
| Garage conversion fit | 10% | Garage conversions have their own structural, fire, parking, and code traps. |
| Design-build capability | 10% | Can the team bridge feasibility, plans, permitting, and construction? |
| Public source signal | 10% | Public websites, portfolios, license references, and review snapshots when manually verified. |
| Portfolio relevance | 5% | Do public examples resemble Bay Area ADU work? |
Disclosure
Partner labels are not optional.
Partner providers
When a profile or lead route has a commercial relationship, the page must label it. Hiding that is how trust dies.
Sponsored listings
Sponsored placements can exist later, but ranking reasons, labels, and correction paths need to stay visible.
Public review data
Store snapshots and links. Do not copy full Google, Yelp, or Houzz reviews. That is both lazy and legally annoying.
Corrections
Providers should be able to request corrections. Homeowners should be able to see what was last reviewed.
Ranking rules
No fake certainty.
- Rank by ADU page topic, not generic company reputation.
- Do not claim verified reviews unless verified users submitted them through a controlled process.
- Do not claim license status unless it was checked from an authoritative source.
- Require an override reason when a manual ranking beats the score model.
- Never pretend FabuHome is a licensed architecture firm unless credentials are confirmed.