Questions to ask a remodeling contractor before you sign

Start with the license

The first question is simple: what is your Florida license number? Then check it yourself. The state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation runs a lookup at myfloridalicense.com. The page says you can verify a license by name or by license number.

Make sure the name on the license matches the name on your contract. Florida has several contractor license types, and they allow different work. Section 489.105 of the Florida Statutes lists them. Our guide to the difference between CBC, CGC and CRC licenses explains them, and our guide to checking a contractor license walks through the lookup.

Questions about permits and inspections

A permit is the county's or city's record that the work was reviewed and inspected. Ask these:

• Who pulls the permits? The answer should be the contractor, and the cost should be in the estimate.
• Which permits does my job need? Manatee County lists standard permit types that include Electrical, Plumbing, Residential, Mechanical, and Door and Window. Which ones your job needs depends on the scope of work.
• Who schedules the inspections? A project is complete only after it passes final inspection, fees are paid and all conditions are met, according to the county's permitting page.
• What happens if the permit sits? Manatee County says permits expire after 180 days if no required inspections have been approved.

If the contractor says you do not need a permit, ask them to explain why, and call the building department to check. Our Manatee County permit guide lists who to call.

Questions about money and paperwork

Ask for the payment schedule before you sign. It should be written into the contract and tied to finished stages of the work, not a large amount up front.

Florida law adds paperwork on top of that. For a direct contract over $2,500 on a home with up to four units, section 713.015 requires a lien-law notice that starts "ACCORDING TO FLORIDA'S CONSTRUCTION LIEN LAW." It must be at least 12-point, capitalized and bold, and you sign and date it. Ask to see it in the contract.

Two more questions are worth asking:

• Will you record a Notice of Commencement? Section 713.13 says it must be recorded before the work starts. Our Notice of Commencement guide covers who files it.
• Will you give me a final payment affidavit? Under section 713.06, the contractor gives a sworn affidavit when final payment is due. It says every supplier and worker who sent a notice has been paid, or lists who has not. The owner holds back final payment until it arrives. See our construction lien law guide.

Questions about the work itself

These questions tell you how the job will feel day to day.

• Who does the plumbing and electrical? Many general contractors hire licensed trade partners. That is fine, as long as someone manages them and you know who is accountable.
• Who runs the job day to day, and how will I hear about progress? Ask how often you get an update.
• What is the order of work? For a kitchen, see our kitchen remodel steps. A contractor should be able to tell you the order before demo starts.
• How will you protect the rest of my home? Ask about dust barriers and daily cleanup.
• What happens if you find a problem behind a wall? The answer should include stopping, showing you and getting your approval in writing.

Questions about changes and the warranty

Ask how a change is priced. A good answer is a written change order that states the cost before the work happens. Read how change orders work before you sign.

Then ask about the warranty. You want to know three things: how long it lasts, what it covers, and who to call. Ask for it in writing. Ask separately about manufacturer warranties on products like windows, cabinets and fixtures, and whether they pass through to you. A workmanship warranty covers the labor. A manufacturer warranty covers the product.

Finally, ask for the estimate in writing. Our guide on how to compare remodeling estimates shows what to look for line by line.

Questions about the people and the insurance

A remodel puts workers in your home and on your property. Ask what insurance the contractor carries and ask for proof. Hildebrand states that it is insured for residential general contracting in the State of Florida.

Ask who will actually be in your house. Is it the contractor's own crew, or subcontractors? Ask who is responsible for each trade. Florida's lien law gives unpaid suppliers and workers a path to claim against your property, even when you paid the contractor. Section 713.015 says so in the notice that must be in your contract, and it advises you to require a written lien release from anyone who has sent you a "NOTICE TO OWNER" before you pay. Ask your contractor how they handle that.

Warning signs in the answers

• They will not give a license number, or the number does not match the name on the contract.
• The estimate is a single number with no scope behind it.
• They say the permit is "not needed" and will not explain.
• They want most of the money before any work is done.
• They push you to sign today.
• They say the change-order process is "we will work it out."

One warning sign is not proof of a bad contractor. But two or three together are a good reason to keep looking.

How Hildebrand answers these questions

Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a Florida Certified Building Contractor, license CBC1257253, licensed since 2009. You can verify it at myfloridalicense.com before you sign anything. The company pulls every required permit and meets the Florida Building Code inspections.

The estimate is free and written after a visit to your home. It spells out the scope, materials, timeline and warranty. Payment is tied to milestones written in the contract. Plumbing and electrical are done by licensed trade partners that Hildebrand manages and coordinates, and one licensed contractor runs the whole job. If something unexpected turns up behind a wall, the crew stops, shows you and gets your approval before doing anything. Read more on our process page and our guarantee page.

Questions homeowners ask