The 7 Red Flags I Would Never Ignore When Hiring a Contractor

Most bad contractor stories share the same warning signs at the start. Homeowners miss them because they are excited about the project. Here are the seven I would walk away from, no matter how good the price looks.

1. No license number on the quote

California requires a CSLB license for any job over 500 dollars. The license number should be on the truck, the business card, the quote, and the website. If you cannot find it, search cslb.ca.gov. If it is not active and clean, walk.

2. No written scope

A good quote is not a number on a napkin. It is a line-item scope. What is demo. What is framing. What materials. What is included and what is not. If your contractor cannot write it down, they cannot deliver it.

3. Big upfront deposit

California law caps contractor deposits at 10 percent or 1,000 dollars, whichever is less. Anyone asking for 30 or 50 percent before work starts is putting you at risk.

4. No insurance proof

Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers comp. A real contractor will send it the same day.

5. Vague timeline

Start date, major milestones, expected finish. If the contractor dodges timeline questions, it is because they do not know or do not want to commit.

6. A chain of subs you never meet

Ask who is actually on your job site daily. If the answer is three different crews the contractor manages from a truck, you are buying coordination risk.

7. Front-loaded payment schedule

Payments should match progress. Deposit, framing, rough MEP, drywall, finishes, final. If 60 percent is due before the tile is cut, walk.

For more on what a good quote looks like, read our piece on exactly what we put in ours.