It’s no wonder the custom of adopting annual resolutions coincides with the year’s beginning rather than its middle or end. A new year means a fresh start—a milestone that signals an opportunity for positive change. Like a blank canvas to a painter, the New Year invites us to entertain new possibilities, inspires us to innovate upon the past and fills us with “momentum of purpose.”

While this sense of positive propulsion is often directed toward personal development, it can also be useful for accomplishing tangible goals, which is why the New Year is an ideal time to review and renew your to-do list. Whether you need to catch up on overdue maintenance, have a project you’ve been putting off or simply want to start off on the right foot, Read more

Throughout the year, we’ve heard from so many Bay Area consumers who’ve been thrilled by their results of working with Diamond Certified companies. Some of the most grateful are those who’ve embarked on major projects, like David White of Oakland, who chose Paradigm Concrete & Construction, Inc. to build a retaining wall for his home. He writes, “This project was a significant commitment for my wife and me, and we’re happy we found Paradigm Concrete & Construction to do it. If we have another such project at our home, we’ll definitely call Paradigm again. This experience confirms our inclination to consult the Diamond Certified Directory first when we need to find a company.” Read more

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, gratitude is “a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.” And to quote a North Bay fire survivor, “Gratitude is a big word in my vocabulary right now.”

“Words are powerless to express my gratitude.”

As I looked deeper into the roots and meaning of this word, I found that psychologists have added a social element to the definition. Read more

The recent wildfires destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Northern California and left others in need of urgent repairs. With their lives upended, many residents are looking to start over and return to their former routines as quickly as possible. But those rebuilding after the wildfires need to move cautiously, as conditions are ripe for contractor scams. Unfortunately, history has shown that after a catastrophe, there are many bad actors ready and willing to take advantage of the vulnerable.

Contractors (especially good ones) are in high demand following a disaster. At the same time, there’s a lot of money available to the construction industry due to payouts from insurance policies and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Read more

This summer, my husband and I had a flooring problem in our home. We have a rolling desk chair that was scratching the engineered hardwood flooring in a downstairs office, so we placed an area rug near the desk. However, the rug was too thick to move the chair back and forth easily. The next thing we tried was a plastic floor mat on top of the area rug. That solution kind of worked, but it wasn’t aesthetically pleasing. It bugged me every time I walked by the desk.

Finally, I decided to get some expert help from my local Diamond Certified flooring store. They recommended buying a commercial-quality remnant and having it cut to fit the area around the desk. Read more

Millions of Americans have sought pain relief through chiropractic treatments. As an alternative form of care, chiropractic doesn’t face the same scrutiny as traditional medicine, which makes it more important for patients to educate themselves about the field. The old image of chiropractors as “spine-crackers” is outdated; today, practitioners use an array of techniques to heal patients. Below, we’ll define some chiropractic approaches, offer some tips for spinal health and answer some questions you may have before seeking treatment. Read more

Last year, we set ourselves a challenge: Improve our website without losing any of the great features consumers use and love. Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of the newly redesigned diamondcertified.info!

We came into this project confident that the Diamond Certified Resource is the best way for consumers to find local, top rated companies. We knew our website averages more than 430,000 visitors per year, and most of these visitors are Bay Area consumers who are seeking helpful expertise and companies they can trust. We also knew we could make our website even better.

We had two goals with this redevelopment project:

1. Make it easier for consumers to find all types of solutions,

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