Ask for the contractor's license number, who will be on site each day, what the written estimate includes and excludes, how changes are priced, and how long the work will take. Clear, specific answers to these questions tell you more about a contractor than a low price or a polished sales pitch.
Start with credentials. Ask for the license number and the exact business name, then confirm both on the Contractors State License Board website, along with bond and workers' compensation status. Ask who runs the job day to day, whether the work is done by employees or subcontractors, and who you should call when you have a question. You want a specific name, not a general office number.
Then move to the work itself. Ask what the estimate covers, what it leaves out, and which items are allowances rather than final prices. Ask how many days the crew will be on site, what could delay the job, how changes are approved and priced, and when each payment is due. Also ask whether your project would need a building permit, since the answer affects both the schedule and who can do the work.
Finally, ask about daily life during the project: start and finish times, where materials will be stored, how dust is controlled and how the site is left each evening. At Legacy, these questions are welcome at the free in-home consultation. We keep our projects within the scope that does not require a building permit, and we tell you at the first visit if what you have in mind would need one.
Answered by Legacy Construction & Design · CA License #790442 · October 2026