Compare contractors against the same written scope. The cheapest total is not necessarily the lowest cost to reach a finished, approved result. The useful comparison includes exclusions, allowances, payment terms, access, permits, supervision, and who handles the final corrections.
Check the contractor before discussing a deposit
Use CSLB’s hiring guidance and license lookup to verify the business, current license status, and classification relevant to the work. Confirm who will sign the contract, who supervises the site, and which subcontractors perform specialized work.
Request relevant insurance information and discuss it with your own adviser. Ask for references from projects similar in building age, occupied conditions, scope, and shared-building constraints. Review how the team handled changes and closeout, not just the finished photographs.
Give each bidder the same information
Share the project brief, drawings if available, known inspection findings, intended finishes, access constraints, and the same list of requested deliverables. State whether the proposal must include permits, protection, demolition, disposal, restoration, testing, and final inspections.
If one bidder identifies an omission, clarify it for the others. For an older home, specifically ask how concealed conditions, existing wiring, and material assessment are handled.
Build a bid-comparison table
| Item | Record for each bidder |
|---|---|
| Base scope | Rooms, systems, quantities, materials, and finished condition. |
| Exclusions | Owner purchases, access work, repairs, design, permits, testing, or painting omitted from the total. |
| Allowances | What each allowance buys and whether delivery, tax, and installation are included. |
| Unforeseen work | How it is documented, priced, approved, and reflected in the schedule. |
| Management | Supervision, communication, site protection, working hours, and subcontractor coordination. |
| Completion | Inspections, corrections, cleanup, warranties, and records. |
What should the contract say?
Use the applicable written home-improvement contract requirements and review the actual agreement before signing. CSLB’s contract overview discusses scope, price, permit responsibility, dates, progress payments, and signed changes.
Its consumer contract guide states the general down-payment limit as the lesser of $1,000 or 10% of the contract price and identifies a narrow bonded-licensee exception. Verify the applicable rule and any claimed exception directly; a special-order-material explanation alone is not enough.
Agree on a payment schedule tied to documented work and materials, not simply calendar dates or pressure to reserve a crew. Have unfamiliar contract or cancellation provisions explained before money changes hands.
How should change orders work?
Require a written description of the added or removed work, its price, the effect on completion, and any approval or permit implications. Obtain the required signed change before the changed work proceeds. Keep a running approved total so the original contract price is not mistaken for the current budget.
When the issue is an unforeseen condition, ask for the evidence, proposed options, and implications for related work. Refer back to the project budget before approving a discretionary upgrade alongside a necessary repair.
What about lien exposure and the final payment?
Paying the general contractor does not necessarily establish that subcontractors and suppliers have been paid. CSLB’s mechanics-lien resources explain the issue and appropriate prevention steps. Obtain advice on the notices and releases applicable to your payments rather than relying on an improvised waiver.
Before the agreed final payment, reconcile the scope, corrections, inspections, warranties, records, and any outstanding payment documentation. Use the permit and closeout guide to distinguish completed work from a fully documented project.
This guide helps owners organize a project. Site conditions, design, code requirements, contracts, and specialist work need review by the relevant qualified professionals.