What does it actually mean to vet a tradesperson?

Almost every directory you land on will tell you its tradespeople are vetted. It is a reassuring word. It suggests someone has done the homework so you do not have to. The trouble is that the word gets used loosely, and "vetted" can mean anything from a genuine background check to nothing more than an email sign-up.

So it is worth pinning down. If you are about to spend real money on your home, you deserve to know what has actually been checked, by whom, and how recently. Here is what vetting means to us, and what we think it should mean anywhere you see the word.

The word gets used a lot, here is what it should mean

There is a difference between a profile and a verified credential, and it is a big one.

A profile is what a tradesperson tells you about themselves. It is the photos they chose, the years of experience they claim, the badge that says "insured." None of that is necessarily false. But it is self-reported, and self-reported information is only as reliable as the person typing it.

Genuine vetting is the opposite. It is a third party going away, contacting the issuing authority, and confirming that the claim holds up. Not "they say they are licensed," but "we looked up the licence and it is valid." Not "they say they are insured," but "we have the certificate, and we have noted the expiry date." That distinction is the whole game. A directory that only collects profiles is a phone book with nicer photography.

The six checks every ProveAPro tradesperson clears

When a tradesperson applies to be listed with us, they do not go live until they have cleared six separate checks. Each one is verified against a source outside the tradesperson.

Government-issued photo ID. We confirm the person is who they say they are. It sounds basic, and it is, but it is the foundation everything else rests on.

Nova Scotia business registration. We check the business against the provincial Registry of Joint Stock Companies. A registered business has a paper trail, a legal name, and an address. An unregistered one is much harder to hold to account if something goes wrong.

Liability insurance, with the expiry on file. We ask for the actual certificate of insurance, not a claim of coverage, and we record when it lapses. Insurance is what stands between you and a very large bill if a job damages your home.

Trade licences where the work requires one. In Nova Scotia, electricians, plumbers, and gas fitters must hold a valid licence. We verify it against the relevant body. A painter or a general carpenter is not a licensed trade here, so we do not pretend to check a licence that does not exist, but where one is required, it is confirmed.

Two references, contacted directly. We do not simply collect reference names. We call them. A reference that has actually been spoken to is worth a great deal more than a name on a form.

A clean complaints record. We check for unresolved complaints and small claims history, including the Better Business Bureau. A single dispute does not disqualify anyone, because honest businesses have off days, but a pattern tells a story.

Why re-checks matter as much as the first vetting

A check is a snapshot. It tells you something was true on the day it was done, and nothing more.

Insurance lapses. Licences expire. A business that was in good standing two years ago can change hands or run into trouble. If a directory verifies a tradesperson once and then leaves the listing up forever, the badge slowly stops meaning anything.

That is why we re-run our checks every year, and why a listing that no longer clears them comes down. The point of vetting is not the ceremony of the first approval. It is the ongoing promise that the people you see today still hold what they held when they joined.

What vetting does not cover, and how to fill the gap

We would rather be honest with you than oversell this.

Vetting confirms that a tradesperson is who they say they are, is properly registered and insured, holds the licences their trade requires, comes recommended by real references, and has no troubling complaints history. That is a lot, and it rules out the kinds of problems that cost homeowners the most.

What it cannot do is guarantee you will love the result. Whether someone is a good fit for your particular job, communicates the way you like, and finishes on the timeline you agreed is something no background check can promise. That part is your side of the work, and it is not hard. Read the verified reviews. Ask for a clear, written quote before anyone starts. Walk the job afterwards before you pay the final instalment.

Do that on top of solid vetting, and you have covered both halves of a good hire: the person is trustworthy, and the arrangement is clear. If you want to start from a list where the first half is already done, that is exactly what we built. Have a look through the directory and see who serves your area.