SOME TIPS BEFORE PICKING THE COMPANY FOR YOU
GET IT IN WRITING
- Make sure you have a written contract and don’t sign it until you fully understand the terms.
- All changes to the contract, or “change orders,” need to be in writing and signed by both parties.
- Keep a job file of all project papers, photographs, and payments— and don’t make the final payment until you’re satisfied with the job.
- Homeowners waive their three-day right to cancel if they sign a “service and repair contract,” which is different from a standard “home improvement contract.” (Service and repair contracts are usually for emergency repair work where the consumer initiated the contact.)
CHECK THE LICENSE FIRST
By law, anyone in California who contracts for or bids on a construction project valued at $500 or more (combined labor and material costs) must be licensed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). To qualify for a license, a contractor must verify four years of journey-level experience in the trade, pass both a trade and license law and business examination, and post a license bond.
Since 2005, all new contractors have been required to pass a criminal background check. Contractors are required to put their CSLB license number in all advertisements. Ask to see the contractor’s plastic pocket license and photo identification.