Our one rule: no business can buy its way into a Top 5. The organic five are chosen on merit alone. The only paid option is a clearly-labelled Featured placement, shown separately above the list. It never changes who makes the Top 5.
How we research every list
Our method is the same for every trade in every town, so a plumber in Gloucester is judged the same way as a roofer in Norwich. For each list we work through five steps:
- Map the local market. We identify the businesses actually trading in the area for that trade, genuinely operating locally rather than just buying the most directory ads.
- Weigh the reviews. We read verified reviews across Google, Checkatrade, Which? Trusted Traders, Trustpilot and TrustATrader, looking at consistency, volume and recency rather than a single star rating, and we factor in social-media recommendations and genuine word of mouth.
- Check the credentials. Where accreditation matters we verify it: Gas Safe for plumbers and boiler engineers, NICEIC or NAPIT for electricians, FMB membership and insurance for builders, and workmanship guarantees and public-liability cover for others.
- Look for real local evidence. An established website, a real trading history, photos of completed work and a clear service area all count. Cold-callers and businesses with no verifiable footprint do not.
- Make the call: only five. We publish the five businesses we'd genuinely recommend to a friend. No more, no less.
What we don't do
- We don't sell your enquiry to multiple companies, like a lead-generation site.
- We don't let businesses pay for an organic Top 5 spot.
- We don't publish star ratings we can't stand behind, and we don't game review platforms.
Featured placements, kept separate
We offer one Featured placement per page for a local business, always clearly labelled and shown above the organic Top 5. It's how we keep the lights on, and it's completely separate from the research. A Featured business has no influence over who appears in the Top 5, and the Top 5 is never sold.
How often we update
We aim to review every list at least once every three months, and each page shows when it was last reviewed. Trades change: businesses close, standards slip, new firms emerge, so a list is only useful if it's kept current.
How a business gets onto a page
There are only two ways. The first is to earn a place in the organic Top 5 through our research. We have no manual control over that list: businesses can't ask to be added, apply, or pay, and getting in touch won't change the outcome. The second is the paid Featured placement, which sits above the Top 5 and is always clearly labelled.
Spot something wrong?
If a listing contains a factual error, such as a wrong phone number, website or service area, please get in touch and we'll look into it promptly. This is for corrections only, not for requests to be added.
Who's behind Top5Trades
Stu Clark
Stu spent over 15 years in the trades, first as a plumber, then running his own plumbing and bathroom-renovation company and a team of eight. He built Top5Trades to give homeowners the kind of shortlist you'd get from someone who actually knows the industry. More about us →