How do I search for a contractor?

Use the search bar in the header: choose a trade and enter a location — a town or a ZIP code. Tavlee opens the results grid for that trade in that area.

How do I narrow the results?

Use the filters on the results page: how recent the reviews are, service reach, language spoken, minimum number of reviews, minimum rating, BBB grade, licensed-only, and whether the listing has photos.

Can I show only licensed contractors?

Yes. Turn on the licensed filter to show only contractors whose state license Tavlee has verified as active against the official registry.

Why does Tavlee ask for my location?

To scope results to your area and let you sort by distance. Results are ranked on the evidence, never on who paid.

What does changing the sort order do?

It reorders the same set of results — by relevance, rating, review count, distance, most recent activity, or freshest reviews. It does not add or remove contractors.

Searching and browsing contractors

How to search by trade and location and narrow the results with Tavlee's sorting and filters.

Last updated: June 30, 2026

Finding a contractor on Tavlee takes two things: a trade and a place. From there, a set of filters lets you narrow a long list down to the handful worth contacting.

Start a search

Use the search bar at the top of any page. Pick a trade — plumbing, electrical, and so on — and enter a location as a town name or a ZIP code. Tavlee opens the results grid for that trade in that area. Sharing your location lets Tavlee scope results to where you are and sort them by distance; it never affects the ranking in favor of anyone who paid.

Sort the results

Sorting reorders the same set of contractors without adding or removing anyone. You can sort by relevance, rating, number of reviews, distance, most recent activity, or freshest reviews — whichever matters most for the job in front of you.

Filter to what matters

The filters let you cut the list down by the signals you care about:

Licensed only — show only contractors whose state license Tavlee has verified as active against the official registry.
Minimum rating and minimum reviews — set a floor so thinly-reviewed listings drop out.
BBB grade, service reach, and language spoken — match the contractor to your situation.
Review freshness and has photos — favor listings with recent, well-documented work.

Next: read the profile

Once you’ve narrowed things down, open a contractor to dig in. Here’s how to read a contractor’s page.

Common questions

How do I search for a contractor?: Use the search bar in the header: choose a trade and enter a location — a town or a ZIP code. Tavlee opens the results grid for that trade in that area.
How do I narrow the results?: Use the filters on the results page: how recent the reviews are, service reach, language spoken, minimum number of reviews, minimum rating, BBB grade, licensed-only, and whether the listing has photos.
Can I show only licensed contractors?: Yes. Turn on the licensed filter to show only contractors whose state license Tavlee has verified as active against the official registry.
Why does Tavlee ask for my location?: To scope results to your area and let you sort by distance. Results are ranked on the evidence, never on who paid.
What does changing the sort order do?: It reorders the same set of results — by relevance, rating, review count, distance, most recent activity, or freshest reviews. It does not add or remove contractors.