Diamond Certified Blog

Welcome Aboard!

We are delighted to introduce the newest companies to join the Diamond Certified Resource. By earning Diamond Certified, these companies have consistently demonstrated excellence. Only the best in the Bay Area can pass our rigorous 12-step ratings process and score Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise™. Read more

Your credit report and your credit score are two different things, and it’s helpful to know about both of them.

A credit report is based on a consumer’s credit history and compiled by credit reporting agencies. One expert referred to it as your “borrowing rap sheet.” Lenders use this information to determine credit-worthiness. You’re entitled to a free credit report every year from each of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) through annualcreditreport.com. It’s best to look at all three reports because they sometimes contain different information. You also don’t know which credit bureau a lender might use. Read more

With summer right around the corner, now is a good time to start looking for the right camp for your kids. Read more

Guest post by Stephen Wood of EW Landscape, Inc.

After enjoying a bottle of wine, you probably discard the empty bottle into the recycling bin. However, did you know that empty bottle can be used to irrigate a plant on your landscape? Read more

While drought conditions have subsided in the Bay Area, water conservation remains as important as ever. After all, there’s no telling what the future holds, and if the past has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t afford to take our most precious resource for granted. So, if you haven’t already taken steps to reduce your water consumption, now is the time. Read more

When you think about public utilities, you probably think about electricity, water or gas. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is a government agency that regulates private companies that provide those services. But the mandate for the CPUC is much broader than many Californians realize—it also has authority over telecommunication companies, rail transit providers and passenger carriers. The CPUC’s stated mission is to “regulate services and utilities, protect consumers, safeguard the environment, and assure Californians’ access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services.” This piece focuses on one aspect of the CPUC’s role: the regulation of moving companies.

Any company that moves household goods within California needs to have a permit issued by the CPUC. Read more

If you’re in the market for a new home, one of the first things you’ll need to do is find a Realtor. However, with an abundance of working professionals in the real estate field, you’ll need to be proactive about finding one who’s qualified and dependable. Besides verifying licensing and getting references, one way to evaluate a Realtor is to ask plenty of questions. Here are five things to ask a Realtor: Read more

Guest post by Gregg Campbell of B & L Glass Company

When replacing your home’s windows, you’ll need to make a lot of decisions, from which manufacturer you’ll purchase from to which installer you’ll hire. However, one of the biggest decisions with any window installation is whether to replace the old windows entirely or have the new ones retrofitted into the existing frames. Read more

Since the beginning of April, when the 2018 Diamond Certified Directory started landing in Bay Area mailboxes, our receptionist, Ian Leary, has been rather busy. “Call volume has been 700 to 800 percent higher than normal,” he says, in between answering the phone. “The most common question I get is, ‘Where’s my directory?’ Callers say, ‘I get it every year and I really need a new one’ or ‘I depend on my Diamond Certified Directory.’”

The fact that many callers haven’t received directories is no surprise. The 800,000 directories we send to Bay Area homes and businesses only cover about 30 percent of Bay Area households. Read more

Some Very Happy Customers

No company earns Diamond Certified without maintaining high standards of customer satisfaction. So, it’s no surprise that we hear from many happy consumers who’ve chosen Diamond Certified companies. Here’s a sample of what they’ve had to say about their experiences.

Jennifer D. is glad she chose Smart Plumbers, Inc. for a recent plumbing job. In fact, she has already recommended them twice since using them. Jennifer writes, “I called Smart Plumbers and they sent someone out that very afternoon. I was very impressed with the politeness and professionalism of Alex and his assistant. They spent extra time on the job, yet the price was very reasonable.”

Jennifer is also a booster for the Diamond Certified Directory. Read more