How do I verify a contractor's license in California?

Go to cslb.ca.gov and click 'Check a License.' Enter the contractor's license number or business name. Confirm the license status shows Active, the expiration date extends past your project completion, the classification matches your project type, the bond status shows Current, and there are no disciplinary actions listed.

What contractor license classification do I need for a kitchen or bathroom remodel?

Most residential renovation general contractors hold a Class B (General Building) license, which covers projects combining two or more trades. For specialty work: C-10 for electrical, C-36 for plumbing, C-20 for HVAC. A GC with a B license can manage all of these through subcontractors.

How do I verify a contractor's insurance in California?

Ask for their insurance broker's contact information — not the certificate itself — and call the broker directly. Request a certificate of insurance naming you as Additional Insured. Minimum coverage: $1,000,000 per occurrence general liability and current workers' compensation. Never accept a certificate sent directly by the contractor without broker verification.

What does it mean if a contractor's workers' comp shows 'Exempt'?

It means the contractor has claimed to be a sole proprietor with no employees. This may be legitimate, but misclassification of employees as independent subcontractors is common. Verify the claim carefully — if workers are injured on your property and the contractor's exemption claim is invalid, you may have personal liability exposure.

What does California's contractor bond actually cover?

California's CSLB contractor bond provides up to $25,000 for homeowners harmed by contractor fraud or misconduct. This is a baseline legal requirement, not comprehensive protection. Your main financial protection comes from the contractor's general liability insurance policy, which is why verifying active GL coverage matters more than the bond.

What actually makes you different from Angi or HomeAdvisor?

Those platforms sell your contact information to multiple contractors who then call you. We don't do that. We talk to you first, understand your project, then handpick 2–3 contractors who are actually right for it. We're not a marketplace — we're more like a knowledgeable friend who happens to know every licensed contractor in LA.

This is really free? What's the catch?

No catch. We charge a small advisory fee to the contractor we place — only after they've been introduced and you've decided to work with them. You never pay us anything. Good contractors value a qualified, well-prepared client. They'd rather pay our fee than spend hours on calls with homeowners who aren't ready.

How do you actually pick the right contractor for my project?

We start by understanding your project in detail — scope, budget, timeline, the type of home you have. Then we go through our network and look for contractors who've done similar work in your area, don't have capacity issues right now, and have a track record we can actually point to. We call references, not just collect them.

I've already gotten bids. Can you still help?

Yes — this is one of the most common situations. Contractors format proposals in ways that make them hard to compare. We take everything apart and put it back together in a format where the differences are obvious. It usually changes which bid looks best.

Which parts of Los Angeles do you work in?

All of greater Los Angeles — Westside, San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, South Bay, Northeast LA, the Eastside. Permitting in LA is jurisdiction-specific, and our contractors know the differences between LADBS, Santa Monica, Culver City, Burbank, and the others.

What if I don't like the contractors you introduce me to?

Tell us what didn't feel right — too expensive, wrong specialty, something felt off in the first call — and we'll go back and find different options. We'd rather take another pass than have you sign with someone you're unsure about.

How do you vet the contractors in your network?

License verification through CSLB, insurance verified in real-time through TrustLayer, financial stability check, past project photos reviewed, and reference calls with actual past clients. We ask the uncomfortable questions — how did they handle a problem, did the budget hold, would you hire again. We accept fewer than 1 in 10 contractors who apply.

How to Verify a Contractor's License, Insurance, and Bonding in California

Step-by-Step: How to Verify a California Contractor License

Go to cslb.ca.gov → Click "Check a License" → Enter the contractor's license number or name → Review the result:

Field	What to Look For
License Status	Must say "Active" — not Expired, Suspended, or Revoked
Expiration Date	Must not expire during your project
Classification	Must match your project type (see below)
Bond Status	Must say "Current"
Workers' Comp	Must show current coverage or legitimate exemption
Disciplinary Actions	Any citations, suspensions, or revocations are serious flags

California Contractor License Classifications

Classification	Permitted Work
B – General Building	Combination of two or more trades; most renovation GCs hold this
C-10 – Electrical	All electrical work
C-36 – Plumbing	All plumbing work
C-20 – HVAC	Heating, ventilation, air conditioning
C-29 – Masonry	Brick, stone, concrete block
C-33 – Painting	Interior and exterior painting
C-54 – Ceramic & Mosaic Tile	Tile installation

How to Verify Insurance

The right way: Ask the contractor for their insurance broker's contact information. Call the broker directly and request: a certificate of insurance naming you as Additional Insured on the general liability policy; confirmation that the policy is currently active through your project's expected completion; and the policy limits (minimum: $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate).

Do not accept: A certificate the contractor sends directly (it may be outdated); a verbal assurance; or a certificate that expires before your project completes.

General Liability Insurance

Covers damage to your property and third parties caused by the contractor's work. Minimum: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate. You should be named as Additional Insured.

Workers' Compensation Insurance

Required for any contractor with employees in California. Without it, injured workers may have a legal claim against your homeowner's policy or against you personally. If a contractor claims to have no employees (sole proprietor using independent subs), verify this claim carefully — misclassification is common.

How Bonding Works in California

California requires licensed contractors to be bonded through the CSLB. The contractor's license bond provides up to $25,000 for homeowners harmed by contractor fraud or misconduct. This is a baseline protection, not comprehensive coverage — the GL policy is where real financial protection comes from.

Red Flags in Verification

Situation	What It Means
License shows "Suspended"	Cannot legally perform work in CA
License shows "Revoked"	Serious prior misconduct; do not hire
License expires before project completion	Ask them to renew first
Workers' comp shows "Exempt"	Must be a sole proprietor with no employees — verify
Insurance certificate from contractor, not broker	Verify independently with broker
Can't provide any insurance documentation	Do not hire

What Keystone Connect Does Differently

Keystone Connect uses TrustLayer for real-time, ongoing insurance verification on every contractor in our network. Insurance is verified before any contractor introduction, and certificates are monitored for expiration — if a policy lapses, we know immediately. You never have to ask for, store, or verify an insurance certificate yourself.