This organization is the go-to source for figuring out which businesses are the best and most reputable. The Better Business Bureau is found throughout the United States and Canada, and it provides oversight on businesses.

The BBB collects information on the reliability of area businesses and gathers data on their business ethics. The BBB gives businesses a rating based on a familiar, easily understood scale: “A+” for the best of the best and down to a lowly “F” rating. You can obtain information about all sorts of businesses from the BBB. From retailers to service providers, such as home contractors, the Better Business Bureau will have the scoop. Not all businesses apply for BBB accreditation, and new businesses that haven’t receive a lot of raves or rants will be less likely to have any information about them at the BBB. If a contractor doesn’t have any sort of information at the BBB, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it isn’t necessarily a good thing either.

There are local and national Better Business Bureau chapters. Most information can be obtained online at http://bbb.org. If you live in the Cincinnati area, you can get in touch with the Cincinnati Better Business Bureau. They can be reached by phone during their business hours at (513) 421-3015 or you can access the local website directly at http://cincinnati.bbb.org.