How to choose a remodeler in Brentwood, CA

Start with the license

In California, contractors are licensed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). A license is required for work worth $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined. Work under that amount is exempt only if it does not need a building permit, the person has no employees and does not advertise as a contractor. Any job that needs a permit or employees needs a licensed contractor at any price. CSLB runs a free online License Check where you can look up a license number or business name.

Check three things: that the license is active, that its classification matches your job, and that the name on it matches the company giving you the estimate. CSLB advises hiring a licensed B general building contractor when a project involves more than two kinds of work on a building, and it gives a kitchen remodel, with its plumbing, electrical and carpentry, as the example.

Also ask about insurance. A contractor working on your home should carry liability coverage, and you can ask to see proof. CSLB says California law requires employers, including construction employers, to carry workers' compensation insurance even with one employee. A licensee with no employees can instead file an exemption stating that. Ask which applies.

Get more than one estimate, and compare scope

Get at least two or three estimates for a project of any size. When the totals are far apart, the first question is what each one includes. Does it cover demolition and disposal? Plumbing and electrical changes? Drywall repair and paint? Who buys the tile, fixtures and cabinets? An estimate that leaves out a trade is not cheaper, it is incomplete.

A good estimate describes the work in plain language. If you get one line with a single number, ask for a breakdown.

Read the contract before you sign

Do not let work start on a handshake. California requires a written contract for home improvement work above a small threshold, and the law spells out what it must contain. The contract has to be legible, and you must receive a copy signed and dated by both parties before work begins. It should describe the work and materials, name the contractor's license number, and say who pulls permits and when work starts and ends. CSLB also recommends that changes be written down as change orders.

The law also limits how much a contractor can ask for up front. The down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. If you pay in stages, the contract must include a schedule of progress payments that ties each payment to specific work, and CSLB says payments should not exceed the value of the work done. For most home improvement contracts you also have three business days to cancel after signing, or five if you are a senior.

Be cautious of anyone who asks for a large payment before any work is done. Changes are normal, especially in older houses where the walls hide surprises. What matters is that they are written down and priced before the work happens.

Ask who does the work

Some contractors do the work themselves. Others hire subcontractors for each trade. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you are getting. Ask who will be on site day to day, who the one person is you call with questions, and how often you will get updates. Communication problems cause more remodeling disputes than workmanship does.

Look at past work and talk to past customers

Ask to see photos of finished projects similar to yours, and ask for recent customers you can contact. Pay attention to how a contractor talks about problems on past jobs. Every remodel has them, and the useful signal is how they were handled.

Online reviews help, but read them for patterns, not for the average. Several reviews that mention the same thing, good or bad, tell you more than the star count.

Check permits and who handles them

If your project involves structural, plumbing or electrical changes, it likely needs a permit, and the contract should say who pulls it. In Brentwood, permits go through the city's Development Services Division. Be wary of any contractor who suggests skipping a permit to save time or money. Unpermitted work can cause problems when you sell the house or file an insurance claim. See our Brentwood page for what the city says about remodel permits.

Red flags

• No license number, or one that does not match the business name
• A request for a large payment before any work starts
• Pressure to decide today
• An estimate with a single number and no description of the work
• No written contract, or a contract that leaves out the scope
• Reluctance to give references or show past work

Where we fit

N. Abeyta Remodels is a licensed and insured remodeler based in Brentwood. We do kitchens, bathrooms and full-home renovations, and our estimates are free. If you are comparing contractors, you are welcome to hold us to everything on this page. See our kitchen and bathroom remodeling page for how our projects run, or contact us for an estimate.

Choosing a remodeler: questions