Licensed. Bonded. Insured. No Subcontractors.
That's what the contractor advertised. Unbeknownst to me, a different company did the work. It had no contractor license. It caused massive damage to my home.
Twenty minutes of free public searches would have shown me the truth before I signed. This guide is those twenty minutes, plus everything I wish I'd had after.
I Asked the Right Questions. I Believed the Answers.
In 2022, I hired a contractor. The company advertised everything a careful homeowner looks for. Licensed. Bonded. Insured. In-house employees. No subcontractors.
The job ran under a certified general contractor's license. A real license, in good standing. I never saw the license holder on site.
I didn't take the ad at its word. I did my homework.
I looked up the license on the state website. It was real. I looked up the company. It was active. Then I asked.
Who will do the work? Our employees.
Are they W-2 employees? Yes.
Any subcontractors? No.
Unbeknownst to me, a different company did the installation. I found out later. When I searched the state license database for that company, no contractor license came back.
The damage to my home was massive. A forensic inspector found the work had to be removed and replaced.
I thought I had vetted everything. I vet people for a living. It still happened to me.
What I didn't know:
- An answer can be false. "Yes, they're our employees" costs nothing to say.
- Paperwork can be altered. A certificate or a letter is only as good as the source you confirm it with.
- A real license on the contract says nothing about who shows up at your door.
I didn't skip the questions. I didn't skip the searches. I skipped the proof that mattered.
An answer is not proof. This guide is the proof.
See It Before You Buy.
Real pages from the guide. 53 pages, printable, plain English.
Five Promises. Five Ways to Check Them.
Every one of these words sounds like protection. Each one promises less than it sounds like, and each one can be checked for free.
Licensed.
Licensed for what, and in whose name? A company's license runs through one person, the qualifier. That license can be real, current and in good standing, and the person who holds it may never set foot on your job. The guide shows you how to find the qualifier, and what to demand in writing about their role.
Bonded.
A bond has a limit, conditions and a named holder, and it only helps the party it protects. "Bonded" on a truck tells you none of that. The guide shows you the three kinds of bond and how to confirm one with the surety.
Insured.
Being handed a certificate is not the same as being covered. The guide shows you the one status that actually gives you rights, and how to confirm it with the carrier, not the agent.
In-house employees.
In Florida, a construction company with employees carries workers' comp, and that record is public. If they say "our crew" and the record says otherwise, you have your answer.
No subcontractors.
A spoken promise is not a contract term. If it matters, it goes in the contract, in those words.
The Badge Is a Marketing Asset. The License Record Is a Public Fact.
Angi, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack and the rest are lead marketplaces. Contractors pay to receive your contact information, and on Angi, the pros who pay to advertise appear above everyone else. That's the business. The screening is real. It's also far narrower than the badge implies.
What the screening covers
On Angi, a criminal background check on the owner, not the crew. Pros labeled "Approved (Corporate)" get no Angi background check at all. A minimum review rating. And a promise: approved pros must attest to maintaining their licenses. Angi says it verifies licenses at sign-up, and still tells you to check with regulators yourself.
What it doesn't cover
The people who show up Monday. The subcontractors. Whether the license is active today, or covers your type of work. Whether the insurance is in force.
In October 2025, Vermont's Attorney General settled with Angi over its "Angi Certified Pro" label. Vermont has no contractor certification, and Angi has no certification process of its own. Angi agreed to stop using the term and pay the state $100,000.
Source: Office of the Vermont Attorney General, October 13, 2025. Use the platform for names. Vet them yourself.
Seven Searches the Contractor Hopes You Skip.
Every state runs the same four public systems: a business registry, a licensing board, a permit office and a court record. The guide shows you where to look in any state, then goes deep on Florida.
- Does the company exist, and who runs it?
- Is the license real, and is it really theirs?
- Has anyone complained?
- What has this contractor built, and who pulled the permit?
- Has the contractor been sued?
- Did the website quietly change?
- Is the insurance real, and are the workers really employees?
Twenty minutes total. Run them before the second meeting. Stop at the first one that fails.
The Deposit Is the Least of What You Can Lose.
When a job goes wrong, the check you wrote is only the beginning.
The tear-out.
Bad work doesn't get fixed. It gets removed, and you pay twice.
The liens.
Unpaid subs and suppliers can lien your home, even after you paid the contractor.
The financing.
Some home improvement loans ride on your property tax bill for years, whether the work was done right or not.
The time.
Months without a working room, a door that seals, or a roof you trust.
The paper chase.
Proving what happened, after the fact, with records you never thought to keep.
Every one of those starts with a signature. This guide is what to check before yours.
Everything From the First Search to the Final Payment.
The Scorecard
One page per contractor. Any failure in the first seven rows ends the conversation.
What “Bonded” Means
The three kinds of bond, who each one protects, and four steps to check one. New in Version 1.1.
The Twelve Documents
What to demand in writing before a dollar moves.
The Twelve Questions
What to ask, and why the answer only counts in writing.
Fifteen Red Flags
The patterns that show up before the problems do.
The Five Contract Clauses
The promises that matter, written into the contract in words that hold.
Financing Traps
How one early signature can release every dollar, and how to avoid it.
After the Storm
How to hire when everyone is in a hurry, including you.
Photographs, Habits and Closeout
What to document, when, and why the final payment waits until closeout is done.
When It Goes Wrong
Ten steps, in order, plus four fill-in letters and the worksheets to carry them out.
For Investors and Rehabbers
How to vet at volume, across multiple jobs and crews.
Anyone About to Hand a Contractor a Deposit.
Homeowners
A remodel, a roof, windows, a pool or storm repair. Before the deposit, not after.
Investors and rehabbers
More jobs, more crews, more exposure. Build the vetting into your process.
Small business owners
Building out an office, a shop or a storefront. Same risks, bigger checks.
Anywhere in the U.S.
Florida first, and built to travel. Every search shows you the question to ask in any state.
Good Contractors Pass Every Check.
If your company is licensed for the work, carries real coverage, uses its own crew or names its subs, and pulls and closes its own permits, this guide is your advantage.
Hand it to your customers. It shows them exactly why you're worth hiring, and why the lowest bid might not be.
$47 Is Less Than the Deposit on Anything.
Version 1.1, released October 2026. A 53-page PDF, printable, with a scorecard, four letter templates and three worksheets.
Name your price, starting at $47. Suggested: $67.
Buy once. Updates included. Laws and platforms change, and the guide changes with them. Every update released through December 31, 2027 comes to the email you used at checkout, at no extra cost. If the price goes up, your updates stay free.
Get the Guide · From $47Before You Buy.
My contractor came highly recommended. Do I still need this?
Mine checked every box too. Referrals tell you someone had a good experience. Public records tell you what's true today. It takes twenty minutes to find out.
Is this legal advice?
No. It's an educational research guide, and I'm not a lawyer. It shows you how to check public records and what to ask. When money or rights are on the line, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.
I'm not in Florida. Will it help?
Yes. Every state runs the same four public systems. Each search shows you what to look for anywhere, then gives the exact Florida steps.
Work already started. Is it too late?
No. The chapters on photographs, closeout and when it goes wrong are built for exactly that. Start there.
When should I use it?
Before the second meeting with any contractor, and before any deposit.
How do updates work?
Updates go to the email you used at checkout. Each one lists exactly what changed. If you change emails or lose the file, reply to your receipt.
Can I get a refund?
It's an instant digital download, so all sales are final. If your file won't open, reply to your receipt and I'll resend it.
Before You Sign: The Owner's File is an educational research guide. It is not legal advice. The author is not a lawyer.