How to choose a remodeling contractor in Los Angeles

How do you choose a remodeling contractor in Los Angeles?

Choose a Los Angeles remodeling contractor in this order: check the license on the CSLB website, ask who works on your project and who pulls the permit, compare at least three written bids for the same scope, call references, and read the contract. A good contract names the work, price, payment timing, permits and any changes in writing.29

The five steps below follow that order. Each step points to its source, so you can check it yourself.

Step 1. How do you check a contractor's license in California?

To check a California contractor license, search the license number or business name on the CSLB Check a License page at cslb.ca.gov. Confirm the license is active, that its classification fits your project, and read the workers' compensation information and any disclosed complaints. Home Pro's license number is 1003187.1711

The CSLB tool also searches by contractor name, and it has a separate search for Home Improvement Salesperson registrations, which matters if a salesperson visits you instead of the contractor.1 CSLB also lets you build a list of licensed contractors by city or ZIP code.1

Does California require contractors to be licensed?

Yes, for most work. A small-job exemption exists, but CSLB says it does not apply when the small job is part of a larger project, and its example is a kitchen remodel.7 If a contractor is not licensed, CSLB may not be able to help you resolve a complaint, and your only remedy may be in civil court.5

Where should a contractor's license number appear?

Everywhere the contractor does business with you. California law requires a licensed contractor to include the license number in all construction contracts, in subcontracts and calls for bid, and in all forms of advertising.4 CSLB lists letterhead, business cards, directory listings, vehicle lettering and internet advertising as examples.7

Is a contractor license the same as a business license?

No. The contractor license is issued by the state. When a contractor applies for a building permit in the City of Los Angeles, LADBS also asks for the license number and classification, workers' compensation insurance information, a City of Los Angeles Business Tax Registration Certificate (not the federal tax ID number), and, for building permits, the name of a permitted construction waste hauler.8

What is the difference between a contractor and a general contractor?

A general building contractor (the B classification) is one whose principal business involves a structure that needs at least two unrelated building trades, and framing or carpentry projects are allowed without limit.7 Specialty contractors hold a license for a single trade, such as electrical or plumbing. Check that the classification on the record fits the work you are hiring for.711

Step 2. Who will work on your project, and who pulls the permit?

Ask whether employees or subcontractors will do the work, and ask who will get the permits. A California home improvement contract must say whether a subcontractor will be used, and if one will, a list of subcontractors with their license numbers and classifications must be provided on request.5

Insurance is part of the same conversation. California law requires employers, including contractors, to carry workers' compensation insurance even with one employee, and CSLB keeps a record of coverage or an exemption.67 The contract also has to carry a notice on workers' compensation and a notice on commercial general liability insurance, each stating the contractor's actual status, and naming the insurer where the contractor carries coverage.5 Ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer to confirm the policy is current.9

On permits, CSLB says the contract should state who gets the necessary building permits, and it suggests checking that permit fees are included in the contract.23 A city that requires a permit also requires a signed statement from a licensed contractor with the license number, and a homeowner can pull a permit as an owner-builder with an LADBS declaration.78 We pull the permits for our projects. See our posts on bathroom and kitchen permits in Los Angeles for the steps.

Step 3. How do you compare bids?

Compare at least three written bids for the same scope of work. Travelers, an insurance company, suggests comparing materials, work methods and other factors, so the bids really cover the same job.9 CSLB says a contract should name the materials as specifically as possible, for example the manufacturer and model of a cabinet, not just "kitchen cabinets".2

Ask each contractor what is in and out of the bid, including permit fees and which materials are named.23 A large gap between two bids is a reason to ask what each one includes. Both Travelers and the National Association of Home Builders suggest caution with an estimate that is much higher or lower than the others.910

Step 4. How do you check references and past work?

Ask each contractor for at least three local references, call them, and see the work in person.3 The National Association of Home Builders suggests asking previous customers whether they would hire the contractor again, and asking to see completed work and work in progress.10

Step 5. What should be in the contract?

A written contract is required for home improvement work above a small dollar threshold, and it should detail the work, price, when payments are made, who gets the permits and when the job will be finished.2 California Business and Professions Code section 7159 lists what the contract must include, among them:5

• The contractor's name, business address and license number, and the registration number of any home improvement salesperson who negotiated it.
• The heading "Home Improvement" and the contract price.
• A description of the project and of the significant materials and equipment.
• The details of any down payment and a schedule of progress payments.
• An approximate start date and an approximate completion date.
• A note on extra work and change orders.
• Notices on workers' compensation insurance, commercial general liability insurance, mechanics liens, CSLB and your right to cancel.

On the down payment, the law caps it at 10 percent of the contract price or a fixed dollar amount in the statute, whichever is less. CSLB notes one narrow exception on its contracts page.25 It is also against the law for a contractor to collect payment for work not yet completed or materials not yet delivered, though a contractor may require a down payment.5

Changes go in writing. A change order becomes part of the contract only if it is in writing and signed before the work it covers starts, and it must describe the scope of the change, the cost added or subtracted, and the effect on the payment schedule.5 A contract that is not negotiated at the contractor's place of business comes with a three business day right to cancel, or five for a buyer who is a senior citizen.5 Never sign a blank or partly blank contract.2

What are red flags when hiring a contractor?

The usual red flags are a license that is missing or not active, a license number absent from the contract or advertising, a request for more than the legal down payment, payments that run ahead of the work, a blank or partly blank contract, and pressure to sign right away.23459 Travelers adds door-to-door selling and a refusal to leave a contract overnight.9 Any one of these is a reason to ask a question, not proof of anything, and most contractors will answer it directly.

What is the best way to find a reputable contractor?

Start with referrals from family, friends and coworkers, then check each name yourself. The National Association of Home Builders suggests those referrals, along with your local home builders association.10 CSLB's city and ZIP code search gives a list of licensed contractors to start from, and the license check, references and written bid steps above apply to every name on your list.1

How do you hire a kitchen or bathroom remodeling contractor?

The same five steps apply to a kitchen or a bathroom. Check the license first, confirm who pulls the permit, compare written bids on the same scope, call references, and read the contract. Our pages on bathroom remodeling and kitchen remodeling describe the work we do.

Written by Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc., a general contractor in Tarzana with over 30 years of combined experience. CSLB #1003187.

Next step

Comparing contractors? Call (818) 610-9852 or send a message through the contact form on our website. We will look at the room with you and put the scope in writing, and you can check our license first. Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc., CSLB #1003187.

Home Pro Green Remodeling Inc. | CSLB #1003187 18375 Ventura Blvd Ste 378, Tarzana, CA 91356 (818) 610-9852

Sources (every URL below was opened and read on 2026-10-27)

1. CSLB, Check a License (search by license number, business name, contractor name or salesperson registration; complaint disclosure; city and ZIP code list of licensed contractors). https://www.cslb.ca.gov/onlineservices/checklicenseII/checklicense.aspx
2. CSLB, What Should I Look for in a Contract and Binding Agreements (written contract, contents, permits, change orders, down payment rule and its narrow exception). https://www.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/hire_a_contractor/Contracts_And_Binding_Agreements.aspx
3. CSLB, Homeowner Checklists (references, permits and permit fees in the contract, down payment, schedule of payments). https://www.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/hire_a_contractor/Home_Improvement_Contracts/Homeowner_Checklists.aspx
4. California Business and Professions Code section 7030.5 (license number in contracts, subcontracts, calls for bid and advertising). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=7030.5
5. California Business and Professions Code section 7159, home improvement contracts (as amended effective Jan 1, 2026). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=7159
6. CSLB, Workers' Compensation Requirements. https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Contractors/Maintain_License/workers_compensation.aspx
7. CSLB, Building Official Information Guide (B general building definition, minor work exemption, advertising, workers' compensation record, permit license statement). https://cslb.ca.gov/About_Us/FAQs/Building_Official_Information_Guide.aspx
8. LADBS, Homeowner Step-By-Step (contractor information required for permits, owner permits, subcontractor form). https://dbs.lacity.gov/services/homeowner-step-by-step
9. Travelers, Hiring a Contractor Checklist and Tips (an insurer's checklist, not a government source). https://www.travelers.com/resources/home/renovation/checklist-for-hiring-the-right-contractor
10. National Association of Home Builders, Checklist for Finding and Hiring a Builder or Remodeler (a trade association checklist). https://www.nahb.org/other/consumer-resources/checklist-for-finding-and-hiring-a-builder-or-remodeler
11. CSLB, Hire a Licensed Contractor (selecting the right type of licensed contractor). https://www.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/hire_a_contractor/