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Contractor Vetting Checklist

Eighteen checks to run before you sign a remodeling contract. Print it, or keep it open on your phone while you talk to each contractor.

1. Before you let them in the door

Confirm the license number on your state or county licensing board website — not just on their card.
Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their insurer: general liability plus workers' compensation.
Check the business name matches the license, the insurance and the bank account you'd pay.
Search the business name plus "complaint", "lawsuit" and "lien" — read past page one.

2. Getting comparable bids

Get three written bids for the same scope, in writing, with the same materials list.
Reject any bid that is one lump sum — ask for labor, materials, and allowances broken out.
Be suspicious of the lowest bid if it is more than ~15% under the other two.
Ask what is explicitly excluded: demo, haul-away, permits, painting, electrical, plumbing moves.

3. References that actually mean something

Ask for three jobs of similar size finished in the last 12 months — not their best job from 2019.
Call at least two and ask: did the final price match the bid, and what went wrong?
Ask to see a job in progress, not just finished photos.
Check whether the crew on your job is in-house or subcontracted, and who supervises daily.

4. The contract

Never pay more than 10–30% up front, and never pay in cash.
Require a written payment schedule tied to completed milestones, not dates.
Confirm in writing who pulls the permits — it should be the contractor.
Require a written change-order process: no work outside the contract without a signed price.
Get the start date, substantial completion date, and what happens if it slips.
Get the workmanship warranty in writing and note how long manufacturer warranties run.

5. Before the final payment

Collect lien waivers from the contractor and any subs and suppliers.
Walk the job with a written punch list before releasing the final payment.
Get the permit signed off and closed by the inspector — keep the copy.
Collect manuals, warranty paperwork, and leftover tile/paint for future repairs.

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