How to Choose a Florida Contractor (and Spot the Bad Ones Before You Pay)

David W. Smith · Law Office of David W. Smith · November 11, 2026

The estimate looks great. The salesperson is charming. The truck is already in the driveway. That is when most Florida homeowners stop shopping, and when the expensive mistakes begin.

Choosing a contractor isn't a personality contest or a race to the lowest number. It's a short verification process you can run in an afternoon: give the same scope to several bidders, check the license and discipline history, get proof of insurance, call references, and then sign a written contract that matches the bid.

Step 1: Give Every Bidder the Same Package

Write down your scope once and hand the same package to every contractor: the scope of work, drawings or sketches, product preferences, access limits, and a bid deadline. A vague "around fifteen thousand" is hard to compare when one bid includes permits, the dumpster, and underlayment and another quietly leaves them out.

Step 2: Verify Before You Fall in Love With a Price

Treat the interview as data collection, not a sales appointment. Then check for yourself:

• License. Search MyFloridaLicense.com, by license number if you have it. Confirm the license is current and active, the classification fits the work, and the business name matches the quote. Save a dated screenshot.

• Who qualifies the company. Ask who the qualifying license holder is and whose license number will be on the permit. The person on your porch may not be the license holder.

• Discipline history. If the record shows public board actions, read them. One old fine isn't automatically a deal-killer; a pattern of abandoned jobs, fraud findings, or a recent suspension is.

• The business entity. Confirm the company at Sunbiz.org so the names match when checks and lien notices start moving.

Florida law prohibits falsely holding yourself out as licensed or presenting someone else's license as your own (§ 489.127, Florida Statutes). If the number doesn't match a real record, or belongs to someone else, end the conversation. Licensed contractors expect you to check.

Step 3: Get Insurance Proof, Not Promises

"We're insured" is a sentence. A certificate of insurance naming you as certificate holder, followed by a call to the agency listed on it, is evidence.

• General liability. The certificate should cover the contracting company and your project dates. Before you sign, ask to be named as an additional insured for the project and get written confirmation.

• Workers' compensation. Some small operators lawfully claim an exemption for qualifying owners or officers. That's different from not carrying coverage at all. Ask for the exemption paperwork and verify it through the Florida Department of Financial Services' lookup on MyFloridaCFO.com.

An injury on your job without proper coverage can turn a kitchen remodel into a lawsuit against you. The rule is simple: no current proof, no deposit.

Step 4: Call the References and Compare Bids Line by Line

Ask for recent, similar Florida projects, and actually call. Ask whether the job finished on time, change orders were in writing, inspections passed, and they'd hire this contractor again. When you can, drive by a finished job.

When you compare bids, price is one column, not the winner. Line up scope inclusions and exclusions, named materials and brands, allowances, timeline and crew size, payment schedule, and warranty language. Don't automatically pick the lowest or the middle bid. Pick the one that matches the scope, passes verification, and comes from a contractor willing to put the whole deal in a written contract.

Red Flags

• Door-knockers and "we're working three doors down" pitches, especially after storms.

• Cash only, or pay in full today. Florida has no simple statewide cap on residential deposits, but if the first payment is more than 10% of the contract price, § 489.126 generally requires the contractor to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permit issues, unless there's just cause or a longer written timeline.

• "No paperwork, you can trust me."

• "You pull the permit as owner-builder and we'll do the work."

• Pressure to sign an Assignment of Benefits. On property policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, assigning post-loss benefits is generally prohibited and void (§ 627.7152, Florida Statutes).

• Offers to waive your deductible or gift cards tied to an insurance claim, which are red flags and often illegal under § 489.147.

• "I'm not licensed, but I can save you money." An unlicensed contractor generally can't enforce the contract (§ 489.128), and during a declared state of emergency unlicensed contracting can be a third-degree felony for the contractor (§ 489.127).

Then Put It in Writing

A winning bid is not a contract. Tell the winner in writing and move straight to a written home improvement contract with the scope, payment schedule, required notices, and change-order process. Keep the bids, your verification notes, the insurance certificates, and the signed contract in one project folder.

If you're about to hire for a major project, or a contractor relationship is already going wrong, contact the Law Office of David W. Smith through our Contact Us page or at contact@dwsmithlaw.com.

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Licensing, insurance, and contracting rules change; confirm current Chapter 489 and § 627.7152, Florida Statutes, on Online Sunshine and check the live agency portals before you rely on them. For advice about your situation, contact the Law Office of David W. Smith.

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