Editorial independence and disclosures.

Editorial independence

Recommendations are determined by your situation — your home, your electrical panel, your timeline, your ZIP — and by the rules documented in our calculator engine. They are not determined by which contractors we connect you with. Cornerstone content (Rule Guide, Cost Guide, Exemption Guide) is authored independently and is kept free of contractor mentions or affiliate placements.

Contractor referrals

When you opt to be connected with a vetted contractor, Switchboard Home may receive compensation from that contractor for the referral. This is standard for online marketplaces under California rules and is disclosed here per CSLB guidance. It does not change what you pay the contractor or what the contractor offers you, and it does not affect our editorial recommendations.

Homeowners are never charged by Switchboard Home.

Contractor vetting standards

Contractors in our network are required to:

• Hold an active CSLB license (C-36, C-20, or C-10).
• Carry workers’ comp insurance and a $25,000 surety bond.
• Maintain a clean reputation (4.5+ Google rating, 25+ reviews).
• Respond to leads within 24 hours.
• Provide written quotes (no high-pressure tactics).

Vetting is performed manually before a contractor joins the network. Vetting is not a substitute for your own due diligence — verify license status at the CSLB before signing any contract.

Affiliate links

On select pages — primarily the Cost Guide and city pages — we may include affiliate links to third-party services (Amazon Associates, rebate filing services, energy auditors). When you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are clearly labeled where they appear and are never inserted into the calculator flow, the Rule Guide, or the Exemption Guide.

What we are not

Switchboard Home is not a contractor. We are not licensed to install water heaters, electrical work, or plumbing. We do not take payment for installation work. We do not warrant the work performed by contractors in our network — they are independently licensed and insured, and any installation contract is between you and the contractor directly.

We are not affiliated with BAAQMD, CARB, the CEC, BayREN, the IRS, or any utility provider. We cite their sources but do not represent them.

Compliance

We follow CSLB online-marketplace guidelines: we display contractor license numbers when listing contractors, we don’t collect installation payments, and we don’t guarantee pricing, code compliance, or rebate availability. See CSLB Online Marketplace Fast Facts (PDF) for the underlying rule.

Questions

For disclosure questions, email hello@switchboardhome.com. For privacy practices, see our privacy policy.