Hiring a Contractor
What to ask a contractor before you sign
Most lists of questions to ask a contractor are guesswork. This one is mostly just reading back what the law already entitles you to.
Verify the licence, confirm the classification covers your work, get the insurance certificate from the carrier, and read the payment schedule before the scope. Then use what changed on 1 January 2026: under SB 517 your contract must now state whether subcontractors will be used, and on request you are entitled to their names, contact information, licence numbers and classifications. Under AB 1327 the contract must carry the contractor's email and phone, the general liability carrier's phone number, and notice that you may cancel by email.
The four checks that take twenty minutes
Verify the licence yourself, on the CSLB site
Do not accept a number on a business card. Search the CSLB licence registry and confirm the status is active, the bond is in place, and workers' compensation is current. Ours is #1112902.
Confirm the classification covers your work
A licence is not general permission, it is a specific classification. We hold a General B, which is exactly why we will not quote you standalone roofing — that needs a C-39 and we do not have one. A contractor working outside their classification is taking a risk with your permit, not only with their own licence.
Get the certificate of insurance from the carrier, not from the contractor
General liability and workers' compensation. If somebody is injured on your property and the contractor carries no workers' compensation, that exposure can land on you. As of 2026 the contract itself must carry the GL carrier's phone number, so you can call and confirm.
Read the payment schedule before you read the scope
The down payment on a home improvement contract is capped at $1,000 in California. After that, payment should trail completed and verifiable work rather than lead it. This section predicts how the job will go better than the scope description does.
What is new in a 2026 California contract
| Law | What it requires | What you should do with it |
|---|---|---|
| SB 517 (amends B&P §7159) | The contract must state, in yes/no form, whether subcontractors will be used. If yes, it must carry the disclaimer that a list of subcontractors — names, contact information, licence number and classification — is available on request | Ask for the list. Then verify those licences the same way you verified the general contractor's |
| AB 1327 | The contract must include the contractor's email address and phone number, the general liability insurer's phone number, and a statement that cancellation by email is permitted | Call the insurer's number. Confirm the policy is real and current |
| AB 1002 | The Attorney General may bring civil actions seeking licence suspension or revocation against contractors with unpaid wage judgments or violations, on 30 days' notice to CSLB | Nothing to do, but it is a reason the CSLB record is worth checking rather than assumed |
Most residential work involves subs, and that is completely normal — it is how a plumbing or electrical scope gets done by somebody who does it every day. What matters is whether they are licensed and insured, because an uninsured sub on your property is your exposure. As of this year you have a statutory route to ask. Use it.
The questions worth asking out loud
- Who is on site every day, and who do I call? You want one name, not a structure. Vagueness here predicts vagueness later.
- Which parts are your own crew and which are subbed? Neither answer is wrong. Not knowing the answer is.
- What is excluded? Ask it directly rather than inferring it from what the proposal does not mention.
- Have you done a load calculation on my panel? On any kitchen, ADU or whole-home job that adds electrical load. Found before you sign it is a line item; found after demolition it is a stopped job and a change order. It runs $7,000–$10,000.
- What happens when you find something unexpected? You are listening for a process — stop, document, price it, get it approved in writing — not for reassurance that nothing will be found.
- How will I see progress without asking for it? Photos, schedule and selections should be visible to you continuously.
- How long is the workmanship warranty? Ours is one year, and it is written into the contract rather than promised in conversation.
The three answers that should end the conversation
A deposit over $1,000. It is over the statutory cap on a home improvement contract, on a job of any size.
Cash only, or a cheque made out to a person rather than a company. No paper trail, and frequently no licence or insurance behind it either.
Pressure to sign today. A real bid is still a real bid next week. Urgency at the signature stage is a sales technique, and it is the one that most reliably precedes a bad job.
We are aware that publishing this makes our own sales process slower. It also means the people who do sign with us have checked, which is the only kind of client relationship worth having on a project that will live in someone's house for six months.
Common questions
What must a California home improvement contract include in 2026?
Can I ask my contractor for a list of their subcontractors?
How do I check a California contractor's licence?
How much deposit can a contractor ask for in California?
Is it a bad sign if a contractor uses subcontractors?
Where to go next
Written by the team at Elusive Construction, a licensed California general contractor (B #1112902) building in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. General information about how residential construction works — not legal advice. For your specific contract, talk to an attorney.
Also Worth Reading
The rest of what we publish
Cost guides
What an ADU, an addition, a kitchen or a whole house actually costs here, and what moves each number.
Our own projects
Two jobs written up start to finish, including what we found once the walls were open.
Paying for it
Renovation lenders we work with. We take no referral fee, and we never quote you a rate.
Where we build
Sixteen cities across two counties, and what genuinely changes at each city line.
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