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 Read and Compare Contractor Quotes in Los Angeles (With Free Checklist)

What Does a Complete Contractor Proposal Look Like?

A well-structured proposal should include: (1) Project Summary with scope description and exclusions, (2) Line-Item Cost Breakdown by every trade, (3) Overhead and Profit stated explicitly, (4) Permits and Fees, (5) Project Schedule with milestones, (6) Payment Schedule, and (7) Quote validity period. If the quote you received doesn't have most of this structure, it's not a complete proposal — it's a number on a page.

Line Items Commonly Missing From Renovation Quotes

Missing Item	Why It Matters
Permit fees	Can add $1,500–$8,000+ to LA renovation costs
Demolition and haul-away	Often quoted as lump sum without detail; widely variable
Dust protection for adjacent rooms	Often assumed included; sometimes charged extra
Inspection scheduling time	Waiting on inspectors is real cost; some GCs charge for it
Touch-up painting post-trades	Always needed; often forgotten
Punch list and final cleanout	Some contractors charge separately

How to Identify Above-Market Pricing

Trade	Market Rate (LA)	Red Flag (High)
General labor / laborer	$45–$70/hr	Over $90/hr
Electrician (journeyman)	$85–$120/hr	Over $150/hr
Plumber	$90–$130/hr	Over $160/hr
HVAC tech	$85–$120/hr	Over $150/hr
Tile setter	$60–$90/hr	Over $120/hr
Finish carpenter	$65–$95/hr	Over $125/hr
Painter	$45–$70/hr	Over $90/hr

Are My Allowances Realistic or Artificially Low?

Item	Lowball (Red Flag)	Realistic Mid-Range
Kitchen tile (floor, installed)	Under $4/sqft	$10–$25/sqft
Kitchen backsplash (installed)	Under $8/sqft	$15–$35/sqft
Kitchen faucet	Under $200	$400–$900
Kitchen appliances	Under $5,000	$10,000–$20,000
Cabinet package (10x10 kitchen)	Under $8,000	$15,000–$35,000
Quartz countertop (installed)	Under $50/sqft	$80–$130/sqft
Primary bath fixtures	Under $600	$1,200–$3,500

Quote Comparison Checklist

Completeness: Does it include a full line-item breakdown? Are permits included or explicitly excluded? Are allowances listed with specific amounts? Are exclusions clearly stated? Is a payment schedule included?

Allowances: Do allowances match my actual selections? Have I checked allowances against market rates? Have I asked what product they assumed for each allowance?

Pricing: Have I compared labor rates to market benchmarks? Have I compared material unit prices? Is the O&P stated explicitly? Is any single line item 30%+ above the other quotes?

Risk Coverage: Is there a contingency line item? Is it reasonable for my home's age? Have I asked about rates for hidden conditions?

How to Compare 3 Contractor Bids Side by Side

Create a spreadsheet with all line items from your scope of work as rows and one column per contractor. Fill in each contractor's price for each line item. For allowances, note the amount and whether it matches your actual intent. Calculate totals — then calculate what totals would be if all contractors used your realistic allowance amounts. This "normalized total" is the real comparison and often reverses which bid looks cheapest.