Avoid Disaster: 6 Must-Check Qualities Before Hiring a Builder
Hiring a builder is a trust decision you have to make before you have seen any of the work. That is uncomfortable, and it is why remodel horror stories exist.
The good news is that most of what you need to know is public. You can check it yourself, and it takes less effort than people expect.
We are Valley Home Construction. We have been building and remodeling in the Sacramento area since 1988. Here are the six checks we would run if we were the ones doing the hiring.
Look up the license yourself on the CSLB site
California licenses contractors through the Contractors State License Board, and the CSLB site lets anyone look up a license by number or by company name for free.
Ask the builder for the number, then go look it up yourself. You want to see the license active, held in the company name you are dealing with, and covering the kind of work you are hiring for. Ours is CSLB #982830, and you can look it up the same way.
A builder who hands over the number without flinching has already told you something useful.
Ask for proof of insurance and read the dates
Insurance is what stands between you and a bill if somebody gets hurt on your property or something in your house gets damaged.
Ask for the certificate. Look at the dates and make sure the coverage is current. Any builder who works on homes keeps this paperwork ready to send, so a straight answer should come back fast.
Get one written price for the whole job
An estimate that says kitchen remodel and a number leaves far too much room. You want the whole job written down. What gets built, what materials go in it, what is included, and one price for all of it.
Then ask what happens if you change your mind halfway through. The answer you want is that the change gets priced first and you approve it in writing before anybody builds it. That is how we run it. Your price moves only when you say so.
Ask who is actually going to be in your house
Some companies sell the job, then hand it off to whoever is free that month. You deserve a straight answer on this one.
Ask who designs it, who prices it, who is on site while the work is happening, and who you call when you have a question. At Valley Home Construction the same crew designs your project, prices it, and builds it. Whatever the answer is where you are shopping, get it before you sign anything.
Read the reviews, then call a past customer
Reviews show you the pattern. Read past the happy ones and look for how the builder handled a job that went sideways, because every builder has one of those.
We hold a 4.9★ rating on Google and an A+ rating with the BBB, and we have completed 500+ projects in the Sacramento area.
Then ask for a couple of references from jobs like yours, and actually pick up the phone. Ask what surprised them, how the builder handled it, and whether they would hire the same company again.
Ask how often you will hear from them
Most remodel nightmares are really communication stories. The work stalls, nobody tells the homeowner why, and the trust drains out of the project.
Ask what the updates look like and who sends them. Ask who pulls the permits and schedules the inspections, and whether you are expected to deal with the city yourself. We handle the permits and the inspections, so you never stand in a line.
What to do next
Run these six checks on every builder you are considering, and run them on us too. That is the whole point of them.
When you are ready, check what you want done on the Start your project card on this page, or call (916) 375-8800 and talk to a real person. The consult is free, and design is included in your price.