The license, insurance, reference and contract checks that separate a great hire from a horror story. Run any contractor through this list in about an hour — all of it free.
Instant access on this page, plus a printable version. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.
Get the license number and check it on your state contractor board's website — active status, matching business name, right classification for your project, no discipline history. Never take "licensed" on faith; the lookup is free and takes two minutes.
Ask for a certificate of insurance — general liability AND workers' comp — emailed directly from their insurance agent. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, the claim can become your problem.
"Was he great?" gets you nothing. Ask: what went wrong and how did he handle it? Did the final price match the contract? Would you hire him again for something bigger? Listen for the pause.
Business name plus "complaint," "lawsuit," and "lien." Check reviews on at least two sites and read the three-star ones — that's where the honest detail lives. One bad review means nothing; a pattern means everything.
Is it their crew or subcontractors? Subs are normal — but ask how long they've worked together and who supervises daily. You're hiring the person on your site, not the person at your kitchen table.
Scope, exclusions, allowances, timeline, payment schedule — in writing. A single number on a text message is not a bid, it's a guess you'll argue about later. Vague at bid time never improves after signing.
Many states cap home improvement deposits at 10% or a fixed amount. Search "[your state] contractor deposit limit." A demand for half up front is a red flag with its own chapter in every horror story.
A contractor who asks you to pull your own permit is often avoiding inspector scrutiny of their work — or isn't licensed to pull it. Permits protect you at resale, in insurance claims, and in disputes.
Milestone payments you can verify with your own eyes — never dates on a calendar. Hold roughly 10% until the punch list is done and a lien waiver is signed. Money is your only leverage; spend it slowly.
Every change — theirs or yours — gets written up with a price and signed before the work happens. This single sentence in your contract prevents the most common way budgets die: verbal "small extras."
The Homeowner Protection Kit gives you the 12 contract must-haves, change order defense templates, the red flag cheat sheet, and three real project budgets — the paper trail that makes every check on this list enforceable.
Get the Protection Kit — $37