We're pleased to present our list of Best and Worst Contractors of 2010, a compilation of the most exceptional and appalling companies from around the corner to across the country.

Our Best Contractors come from popular categories on the List and must qualify for the prestigious 2010 Angie's List Super Service Award, which means they have a current and overall grade of A and are in good standing with Angie's List. The Best also must have a nearly flawless record, a minimum of 10 reports, and at least five glowing recommendations from our members for our Pages of Happiness feature. These extra requirements put them in the top 1 percent of the roughly 18,000 estimated to be eligible for the 2010 Super Service Award.

To find the Worst Contractors, we scrutinized member reports, company profiles, cases brought to our attention for mediation through the Complaint Resolution Process and court records. We also interviewed scores of sources, basing our selections on the gravity or volume of allegations and the amount of damage customers say these contractors inflicted.

As part of Angie's List's initiative to take a tougher stance on trade licensing, we audited every eligible contractor for compliance with state and local laws. Any candidate for Best Contractor found to be illegally unlicensed got the boot. If a Worst Contractor lacked a valid trade license when required to have one, we included information about their noncompliant status.

National Best & Worst

• Best U.S. Contractors of 2010
• Worst U.S. Contractors of 2010