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.

Renovation Delays: How to Verify Causes and Negotiate Fair Compensation

The Delay Classification Framework

Delay Cause	Within Contractor Control?	Compensation Right?
Crew sent to another job	Yes	Yes — this is a breach
Poor scheduling (trades not sequenced correctly)	Yes	Yes
Materials ordered late by contractor	Yes	Yes
Inspection scheduled too late	Often yes	Depends on jurisdiction backlog
Permit processing by LADBS	No	No
Hidden conditions (mold, asbestos, structural)	No	No (change order, not delay claim)
Weather (exterior work)	No	No
Owner change orders	Owner-caused	No compensation right
Owner slow decision-making	Owner-caused	Contractor may claim delay costs

How to Verify That a Delay Cause Is Real

For Material Delays: Ask for the Bill of Lading

Ask for the Bill of Lading (BOL) or shipping documentation from the supplier. A BOL is the carrier's formal shipping record — it shows what was shipped, when it left the warehouse, expected delivery date, and carrier tracking information.

If a contractor says "cabinets are delayed by the manufacturer," the BOL tells you whether they were ordered on time and whether the delay is real. Ask: "Can you send me the purchase order confirmation and the current shipping update from the supplier?"

For Permit Delays: Check LADBS Directly

LADBS permit status is publicly trackable online at ladbs.org. You can verify the permit application date, plan check submission date, and any correction notices yourself. A contractor who submitted the permit 3 weeks late and then blames LADBS is misattributing a contractor-caused delay to an external cause.

For Inspection Delays

Ask your contractor to show you the inspection request confirmation — LADBS provides these electronically. If they requested an inspection for next Tuesday and the inspector came Friday, that's legitimate. If they never scheduled the inspection until after you asked about the delay, that's contractor-caused.

Liquidated Damages: Your Main Contractual Tool

A liquidated damages clause — negotiated before signing — gives you automatic compensation for contractor-caused delays without requiring proof of your actual damages.

Standard clause: "For each calendar day of delay beyond the Substantial Completion Date attributable to Contractor's actions or inactions (excluding delays caused by Owner, permits, force majeure, or discovered hidden conditions), Contractor shall pay Owner $[AMOUNT] per day as liquidated damages."

Setting the daily rate: $150–$500/day is typical for residential projects in LA. The rate must be a reasonable pre-estimate of actual damages — not a penalty (penalties can be voided by CA courts).

How to Negotiate Delay Compensation Without a Contract Clause

1. Negotiate a Schedule Recovery Plan: Rather than money, ask for an acceleration plan — additional crew, extended hours, or revised sequencing that recovers lost time. Get it in writing.

2. Document Damages and Negotiate a Settlement: Track actual costs of the delay (temporary housing, storage, lost income if applicable). Present these with documentation and negotiate a credit against the final payment.

3. Withhold Final Payment: Use your retention (final 5–10%) as leverage. Don't release it until the project is complete and you're satisfied with the schedule resolution.

4. File a CSLB Complaint: For serious contractor-caused delays with financial impact, a CSLB complaint creates a formal record. Use this for egregious cases — not routine schedule disputes.

How to Have the Delay Conversation

Productive approach: "We're 3 weeks behind the schedule we agreed to. I want to understand what caused this specifically, which of those causes were avoidable, and what your plan is to recover the schedule. Can we walk through that together this week?"

This framing names the problem specifically, asks for accountability without accusation, requests a forward-looking solution, and keeps the contractor engaged rather than defensive.

What to Do If Delays Are Chronic and Unresolved

Send a formal written notice by email (creates a legal record): "As of [date], the project is [X] days behind the agreed schedule due to [specific causes]. I am formally requesting a written recovery plan by [date]." Consult a construction attorney if the financial impact is significant. Do not pay ahead of completed milestones.