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The configured source value 7 is provenance only and must never be described as the number of platforms studied.","The finalrankingtable is the sole authority for rank, platform mentions, platform share, average rank, and best rank. Ignore any conflicting value embedded in a entity evidence bundle.","The Consensus Ranking table must contain exactly one row per finalrankingtable entity, in that order, using that exact entityname. Never split one ranked entity into two product, model, SKU, or product-line rows, and never add another ranking row for a brand already listed. Put recommended products or plans inside that entity's ranked section.","Platform mentions count only ranking-discovery mentions. Do not substitute the number of platforms that later completed a fit assessment.","Citation IDs inside each entity bundle are local to that entity. Consolidate sources by URL using the supplied source catalog.","The URLs were collected from platform responses and were not independently validated by either writer stage.","Each fitreviewurlorplaceholder is the final site-relative CMS path for that entity's review. Link the entity name to that exact path exactly once in its ranked prose section, outside tables and headings. Never replace it with a run ID, report ID, UUID, or local output path.","Use the exact entity-namespaced citation IDs from the source catalog (e.g. e1:); never transfer a citation between entities."],"methodology":{"fit_rating_contract":["strong","good","mixed","weak","uncertain"],"included_valid_platform_count":7,"maximum_finalists":10,"minimum_mentions":2,"name":"Home Improvement Consensus Index cross-platform AI consensus analysis","platforms_included":["anthropic","deepseek","google","grok","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"platforms_queried":["openai","anthropic","deepseek","grok","perplexity","kimi","google"],"stages":["ranking_discovery","fit_assessment","normalization","editorial_synthesis"],"version":"alias-table-1"},"provenance":{"generated_at":"2026-10-02 10:51:13.383285+00","research_date":"2026-10-02","source_snapshot_sha256":"1b0d3039ac172375907e66f42b02b5dbfc44d8f7e95394a05134e9161866f307","verification_scope":"public_verification"},"ranking":{"candidates_evaluated":46,"qualified_finalists":4,"ranking_unit":"Flooring retailer, manufacturer, or installation contractor"},"schema_version":4,"summary":"Home Depot Tile Installation is the consensus leader in this 7-platform AI study of tile floor installation providers, named by 3 of 7 platforms (42.9%) at an average listed position of 5.33 and a best position of 3. Tile Gurus is the strongest alternative for homeowners whose tile survival depends on substrate movement, crack isolation, and level tolerance, but it serves only the St. Louis County and St. Charles County, Missouri area. Lowe's is the second national retail option, and Custom Building Products is a materials-system specification rather than an installation contractor. The…","target_buyer":"A homeowner tiling floors where substrate movement, crack isolation and level tolerance decide whether tiles survive.","topic":{"base_category":"Flooring Installation","category_criteria":["substrate and crack isolation","level tolerance","grout and expansion detailing","material range and quality","subfloor preparation","installation craftsmanship","lead time","price transparency","wear and finish warranty","customer review strength"],"geography":"United States","slug":"best-tile-flooring-installation-contractors","title":"Best Tile Flooring Installation Contractors","use_case":"tile floor installation"}}