Hiring a Contractor

Hiring a contractor can be a stressful experience. If possible, opting for a premium contractor is the best option to save time and reduce stress. However, they can be outrageously expensive.

Contractors who are not in the premium category can be a hit or miss. It can depend on who they use to subcontract. Sometimes, while working with such contractors, you can encounter outright scammers, as happened to me.

There are many red flags that I missed during my vetting, which, looking back, were significant.

How to Vet a Contractor

Contractor

• Get the license number and verify it on CSLB website
• The license name should match the contractor’s name or company
• Ask to see the contractor’s photo ID and pocket license
• Get 3 references
• Obtain a copy of general liability insurance (covers damages if a worker gets injured on your property)
• Workers Compensation Insurance (protecting workers from work-related injuries)
• Perform a Google search and check Nextdoor and Yelp
• No presence on any of these platforms is a red flag, and I would not go with someone not on any of these

Contract

• For a home improvement project, a contractor generally cannot take a down payment of more than 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less
• Payments should be for milestones
• Include start and end dates in the contract
• Ask for a lien waiver once the work is done. This is a waiver meaning all subcontractors have been paid for their services.

References:

1. CSLB Checklist for Homeowners
2. CSLB What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor

Should I Hire an Unlicensed Contractor?

If you hire an unlicensed contractor, you assume a lot of risk. I would not recommend hiring an unlicensed contractor for anything related to plumbing or electrical.

Best Practices for Hiring a Contractor

• Never make a payment before work is done. I learned it the hard way.
• Never feel pressured to make a payment. You can deny payment if work is not done.
• If a contractor is running out of money, it’s not a good sign, and likely they are not paying their subcontractors, which is a bad sign.
• If something is not in the change order, the contractor should not proceed with it.
• Pay according to the established schedule in the contract.

Should I Get Permits?

Highly recommended that you contact the city. San Carlos permitting department is easily reachable over email. More information: San Carlos Building Permits They can tell you if you need a permit.

If you are doing any work in the bathroom or kitchen, changes to electrical or plumbing (water, drain, gas), it’s a good idea to reach out to the city. The kind of things that inspectors have caught for me are:

• Not enough redguard (waterproofing) in the bathroom
• Drain with an s-trap instead of p-trap
• Not using wet-rated GFCI in the bathroom

While I am familiar with many things related to construction, I would have never caught these things. Once done, they are not touched for years and if not done right can result in very expensive damage in terms of mold or structural issues. While permits may extend the timeline, I highly recommend getting one when needed.

To Sum It Up

Homeowners can be spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on home improvements; it is essential that the work is done to the quality.

Doing this due diligence can be overwhelming, especially for new homeowners in the area.

Free Checklist vs. Done-For-You Review

The checklist above is the free version.

If you want me to do the due diligence for you, the report options below are the paid service.

Contractor Report Options

No credit card needed. We'll reply within 24-48 hours.

To get started, send your email or phone number. I'll follow up for the contractor name, license number if available, and your project scope.