How it works
Finding a good contractor shouldn't be this hard.
We built 312 Builtbecause the system is broken for everyone — homeowners and contractors alike. Here's our story.
If you're a homeowner
- You've scrolled through hundreds of Google results with no way to tell who's actually good
- You've been burned by a contractor who looked great online but ghosted mid-project
- You've paid for “free estimates” through lead-gen sites that sold your info to 5 companies
- You have no idea if a $35K kitchen quote is fair for your neighborhood
If you're a contractor
- You do great work but directories don't rank you transparently
- You deal with endless change orders, late payments, and clients who want premium work at budget prices
- Lead-gen platforms send you unqualified leads — tire-kickers, lowballers, and “just exploring” requests
- Your 200+ five-star reviews get buried behind tons of noise
We built 312 Built because both sides deserve better.
Homeowners deserve a directory where every ranking is backed by real data. Contractors deserve a platform where quality work gets the visibility it earns. Every listing is evaluated through performance, and everything is transparent. That's the model.
2,100+
Profiles evaluated
15
Trades
6
Chicagoland regions
0
Vetted contractors
0K+
Google reviews analyzed
0
Service categories
The pipeline
Our 13-step vetting pipeline
Every contractor on 312 Builtis run through all 13 steps before they ever appear. Here's exactly what goes into each listing.
Collection
Google Maps queries spanning every trade and sub-region in Chicagoland.
Ingestion
Raw business listings collected from those queries.
Deduplication
Duplicate entries merged by Google Place ID.
Dead-listing removal
Closed, missing, or defunct businesses filtered out.
Geo verification
Indiana & Wisconsin spillover removed; 57 target zips enforced.
Quality floor
Minimum 4.0 rating, 5+ reviews, verified contact info.
Category mapping
Google categories translated to our 15 service types, capped at 3 per business.
AI review analysis
Sentiment across every review — pros, cons, specialties, responsiveness, and the most representative quotes.
Quality scoring
A 1–10 score from weighted rating, review volume, sentiment, responsiveness, and completeness.
Tiering
Scores map to tiers — Vouched (strongest evidence), Established (solid record), Listed (directory presence).
Audit — content accuracy
Ratings, quotes, and specialties checked against source data.
Audit — formatting
Grammar, formatting, and category validity verified.
Audit — data integrity
Automated validation and ongoing human review catch duplicates, closed businesses, category mismatches, and incomplete records.
+ Ongoing updates — the pipeline reruns continuously
New reviews, updated scores, re-evaluated tiers. Contractors move up or down on real performance. That keeps the directory honest and useful.
What our tiers mean
Every contractor earns their tier on measurable criteria — here's what each one means.
Featured
FeaturedThe top tier. Featured contractors consistently demonstrate exceptional service quality, strong client satisfaction, and a proven track record across Chicagoland.
Quality score
8.0+ / 10
Google rating
4.5+ stars
Review volume
Strong history
Responsiveness
Highly responsive
Verified
VerifiedSolid, reliable contractors with good reputations. Verified businesses have a positive review history and meet our baseline quality standards.
Quality score
6.0+ / 10
Google rating
4.0+ stars
Review volume
Adequate history
Responsiveness
Responsive
Listed
Contractors that appear in Chicagolandsearch results and have a Google Business presence. Listed contractors are included for completeness but haven't yet met the thresholds for Verified or Featured status. They may have fewer reviews or a shorter track record.
Help us get better
312 Built is a living directory. If you spot something off or have an idea, we want to hear it.
Data corrections
Wrong info on a listing? Closed business? Let us know and we'll fix it.
Feature ideas
Have a suggestion that would make 312 Built more useful? We're building in public.
Partnerships
Contractor looking to upgrade your listing? Business inquiry? Let's talk.
Are you a contractor?
You're already listed if you made the cut. Here's how to get more out of 312 Built.
Claim your profile
Sign in, find your listing, and claim it. Update your info and make sure homeowners see the most accurate version of your company.
Boost your visibility
Get premium placement on category and homepage listings. Promoted profiles are always clearly labeled — your reputation stays earned.
Receive qualified leads
Homeowners submit project details directly through your profile. Real projects, real budgets, real timelines — no tire-kickers.
Looking for a contractor?
Every pro on 312 Built has been through our vetting process. Browse with confidence.
Find your pro →