Licensing, insurance, subcontractors and warranties: what to check before you sign anything.
1. Are you licensed and bonded in this county? Ask for the number and check it yourself. It takes two minutes online.
2. What is your general liability cover, and can I see the certificate? $1M is the floor for residential work; $2M is normal for commercial.
3. Which parts of this job are subcontracted? There is nothing wrong with subcontracting, but you should know who is actually on your site and who manages them.
4. What does your warranty cover, and for how long? Separate the manufacturer’s material warranty from the contractor’s workmanship warranty. They are not the same thing.
5. Can I speak to two clients from the last twelve months? Not a testimonial page — a phone call. Ask them what went wrong and how it was handled, because something always goes wrong.
A contractor who answers all five without hesitating is one worth shortlisting.
