How do I check out a contractor before hiring?

What to verify, what to ask for, and the warning signs worth walking away from.

Verify before anything else

Insurance. Ask for a certificate sent directly from their insurer, not a photograph of one. General liability, and workers' compensation if they have crew.
Licensing where the trade requires it. In Texas some trades are state-licensed and some are not, which surprises people. Electricians and plumbers are licensed; general remodelling contractors broadly are not. Verify with the licensing board rather than by looking at a logo.
A physical address and how long they have been at it locally.

Ask for

Three recent local references — and actually ring them.
Photographs of finished work of the same type, not a general gallery.
A written scope: what is included, what is explicitly not, and what happens when something unexpected is found.
A payment schedule tied to milestones.

Warning signs

A large deposit up front with no work scheduled.
Cash only, with no written contract.
Pressure to decide today, or a price that expires this afternoon.
They knocked on your door after a storm, from out of the county.
They will not put the scope in writing. This one on its own is enough.
Reluctance to pull a permit when the work plainly needs one. The permit protects you, not them.

The most useful single question: “What is most likely to go wrong on this job, and what happens to the price if it does?” A good contractor answers it immediately and specifically, because they have thought about it. The answer tells you more than any reference.

Terms on this page

Certificate of insurance: A document from an insurer confirming active cover. Should come from the insurer, not the contractor.
Scope of work: The written description of exactly what a job includes and excludes.
Change order: A written amendment covering work added after the contract is signed, and what it costs.

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