Research Houston contractors: local profiles, trade credentials and permits.
Start with the project address and the work—not a star rating alone. Read dated company research, check the relevant Texas trade credentials, compare written proposals and contact companies directly. No lead-capture form is required to use this guide.
Local guidance reviewed October 16, 2026. Company research dates are shown below; ratings, complaint records and service availability can change.
Published Houston-area company research—not a ranking
These four examples cover different trades. They are research starting points, not a complete list, a ranking or a promise of availability.
- All-Tex Plumbing Services — Houston plumbing, drains and sewers, leak detection, pipe repairs, water-heater service and boiler work. Research: October 12, 2026.
- A-1 Tops Services — Houston-area air conditioning, heating, geothermal systems and refrigeration. Research: October 13, 2026.
- Wired Electrical & Generators — Tomball-based electrical and standby-generator company in the Houston metro. Confirm service to your address; this is not a Houston city office. Research: October 6, 2026. Its dated profile records five BBB complaints in three years: two resolved and three answered, concerning installation, monitoring, scheduling and communication. Read the company responses and full context.
- All Over Exterior Roofing — Houston roofing, storm-damage work, siding, gutters and windows. Research: October 13, 2026. Its dated profile records one BBB complaint marked answered; the consumer did not accept the response. Read the complaint context alongside the qualification evidence.
NHA did not independently verify these companies’ licensing, bonding, certifications or insurance. These links do not requalify them or turn their dated observations into current ratings.
Identify the permit authority for your property
A Houston mailing address, the Houston metro and a contractor’s office location do not establish which authority handles a project. Confirm the responsible department for the actual parcel before accepting a proposal.
City of Houston
The City permits and inspections overview identifies Building Code Enforcement and trade-permit resources. The official permit portal provides application, record-search and inspection tools; follow department instructions for the pathway that applies to your work.
Harris County and nearby municipalities
Use Harris County Engineering permit resources when the County is the relevant authority. A nearby city may have its own department. Do not assume that City and County approvals are interchangeable.
Ask the address-specific floodplain question
Ask the responsible authority whether this parcel and scope need floodplain review. The County floodplain resources offer maps and review information. This guide has not determined any property’s risk, permit obligations or insurance coverage.
Use the right Texas trade credential check
Plumbing
The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners’ consumer checklist recommends asking for the company’s Responsible Master Plumber and checking the RMP license number for validity and a Certificate of Insurance on file. Also confirm municipal permit and inspection requirements. An insurance filing is not a project-specific coverage guarantee; ask the insurer about current coverage for your work.
Electrical and generators
TDLR’s electrical guidance says non-exempt electrical work must be performed by licensed individuals through a licensed electrical contractor. Match the business and relevant credentials, rather than relying on a printed number or a similarly named company.
Air conditioning and heating
Use TDLR’s air-conditioning and refrigeration guidance for the relevant contractor requirements and classifications. The TDLR active-license search supports business, license and location searches. A missing result needs careful follow-up on spelling, license type and agency—not an assumption that a company is unlicensed.
No individual company license or insurance lookup was performed for this guide. Do not generalize one trade’s rules to roofing, pest control, landscaping or every other service.
Compare scope, permits, inspections and written terms
Ask for detailed written estimates and warranties. Identify who obtains required permits, pays fees, schedules inspections and supplies completion records. A permit application, an issued permit and a passed inspection are different milestones. Confirm the actual scope with the department; this guide does not promise permit exemptions or processing times.
- Plumbing: distinguish diagnostic work from pipe or drain replacement; specify access and restoration responsibilities.
- HVAC: compare equipment, duct work, controls, installation and maintenance scope.
- Electrical and generators: identify circuits, panels, transfer-switch work, commissioning and ongoing maintenance.
- Roofing: distinguish repair from replacement; specify materials, cleanup, change orders and warranty terms.
Use comparable written scopes, current references and a clear process for changes and service concerns. These are comparison questions, not a diagnosis, local price quote or guarantee of project results.
Use dated evidence—and verify what the profile does not
Gold profiles document an exact BBB A+ record, a directly verifiable Google customer rating strictly above 4.3, identity matching, official service evidence and complaint-context review on the company’s research date. BBB accreditation alone is not the criterion. “Answered” does not mean “resolved.”
Licensing, bonding, certifications and insurance were not independently verified. Recognition is not a guarantee of workmanship, safety, outcomes, current availability or suitability. Recheck current evidence and credentials for your actual project.
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