How to Vet a Contractor in California: The CSLB Checklist

Nothing determines a project’s outcome more than who you hire — not the materials, not the design, not the budget. California actually gives homeowners strong tools to vet contractors; most people just never use them. Here’s the checklist, from a licensed contractor who wants you to check.

1. Verify the license — don’t just ask for it

Every contractor taking jobs over $1,000 in California must hold a CSLB license. Go to cslb.ca.gov, click “Check a License,” and search the number. You’ll see the license class, status, bond, and any disciplinary history. Verify three things:

• Status is active and the business name matches who you’re dealing with.
• The class fits the work. A “B — General Building” license (ours is #1045849) covers projects involving two or more trades — exactly what exterior remodels are.
• The bond is current. It’s a baseline consumer protection.

2. Ask for the insurance certificate — then read it

A real contractor carries commercial general liability insurance and will send you the certificate without flinching (we publish ours on our website). Check the coverage amounts and the policy dates. If anyone works for the company as an employee, workers’ comp matters too — otherwise an injury on your property can become your problem.

3. Demand a written scope, not a number on a text

The bid should spell out what’s under the surface: excavation depth, base thickness and compaction for hardscape; underlayment and flashing for roofs; prep steps for painting. Two bids that differ by thousands usually differ underground. A one-line quote is a blank check for corner-cutting.

4. Know the payment rules

California law caps down payments on home improvement contracts at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less. Payments after that should track completed work. Anyone demanding half up front is financing their last job with your money — walk away.

5. Red flags that end the conversation

• “We don’t need a permit for this” — for work that clearly needs one.
• A license number they can’t produce, or one registered to a different name.
• Pressure to sign today for a “today-only” price.
• No physical address, no reviews history, cash only.

6. Then judge the human factors

Did they show up when they said? Did the estimate arrive when promised? Did they explain trade-offs instead of just upselling? The pre-contract experience is the best preview of the construction experience you’ll get.

We built this checklist knowing we pass every line of it — license #1045849 is verifiable at cslb.ca.gov right now, and our insurance certificate is one click away on our About page. Hold every bid you get, including ours, to exactly this standard.