The short version: ShieldBoardUp is free for homeowners, and we earn money from the service-provider side of the connections we make. Here is exactly how, in plain language.
Referral fees
ShieldBoardUp is an independent referral service, not a contractor. When you call a phone number on this site or submit a service request, you may be connected with a licensed local contractor, a contractor network, or a service marketplace from our partner relationships — and we may receive a fee for that connection. This fee is paid by the partner, not by you, and it does not change the price you pay: you pay the provider’s normal rates, and you are never obligated to hire anyone we connect you with.
Affiliate links
Some links on this site — for example, links to products like roof tarps or sump pumps in our guides — may be affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate (where applicable), we earn from qualifying purchases. We only link products of the type we describe in our guides; we do not accept payment to recommend specific brands in editorial content.
Advertising
This site may display advertising served by third parties, including Google AdSense. Ad networks may use cookies to show ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites; see our privacy policy for details and opt-out options. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content, cost data, or which guides we publish.
What our compensation does not affect
- Your price. Contractors and marketplaces pay referral fees out of their marketing budgets, the same way they pay for any advertising.
- Our cost data. Published figures come from independent industry cost sources and are not adjusted to favor any partner.
- Our safety guidance. Where the honest answer is “do it yourself for $40” or “don’t hire anyone, use the free federal program,” we print that — this site says both in multiple places.
Questions
Anything unclear about how we make money, email shieldwebservices@gmail.com and we’ll answer plainly.