The most expensive mistake in construction isn't a bad tile choice. It's the wrong contractor. California gives homeowners real tools to avoid that mistake — most people just never use them. Here's the checklist we'd hand our own family.
1. Verify the license — actually verify it
Every legitimate California contractor has a CSLB license number, and the CSLB website lets you check its status, classification, and bond in about thirty seconds. Confirm the name on the license matches the name on your contract. A contractor who hesitates to show you this is answering your question. (Ours is #1034042 — check it live.)
2. Know California's deposit rule
For home improvement contracts in California, the down payment is legally capped at 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. Anyone asking for half up front is either unaware of the law or hoping you are.
3. Ask the questions that expose process
- "How will I know what happened on my project each day?" — you're listening for a communication system, not a promise.
- "Who is actually on my site?" — subcontractors are normal; not knowing their names is not.
- "What happens when you find something unexpected?" — every real project has surprises. You want to hear a change-order process, not bravado.
- "Can I talk to a past client?" — then actually call them.
4. Red flags that end the conversation
- Cash-only pricing or a discount for skipping the permit.
- A bid dramatically lower than every other bid — you'll pay the difference later, with interest.
- Pressure to sign today.
- No written contract, or a contract vaguer than a fortune cookie.
5. Trust the walkthrough
How a contractor walks your property tells you how they'll run your job. Do they explain what they're seeing? Do they tell you anything you didn't want to hear? The contractor willing to talk you out of unnecessary work on day one is the one who'll protect your money on day ninety.