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How to choose a general contractor in the Bay Area

Short answer

Shortlist three contractors whose license class fits your job, and check each license, bond and workers' comp on CSLB before you talk price. Then get bids priced from the same drawings, allowances and exclusions, so the numbers can be compared. Don't pay more than $1,000 or 10% down, whichever is less.

Rules checked Oct 18, 2026 against 4 CSLB and California code pages, listed below.

Write down the scope before you call anyone

If three contractors price three different ideas of your project, the bids can't be compared. Before the first call, write down the rooms, what moves, what stays, your finish level and whether you have drawings. For an addition or anything structural, you'll need drawings and often an engineer before a bid means much.

Check a Bay Area license

Name or license number. Each result links to the live CSLB record.

Searches active and lapsed Bay Area B and B-2 licenses. Other classes: search on CSLB.

Ready for bids?

Describe the job once and get bids from licensed contractors. Free, about 2 minutes.

Get bids from 3 licensed contractors

Check the license before the price

Look up each contractor on CSLB: active status, a class that covers the job, a $25,000 bond and workers' comp or an exemption. A B-2 can take a kitchen or bath but not an addition or structural work. The steps are in how to verify a contractor license, and every card on our city lists shows these fields already.

Sources: CSLB, Check a License, checked Oct 18, 2026; CSLB, B-2 Residential Remodeling classification (B&P Code 7057.5), checked Oct 18, 2026; CSLB, Bond requirements, checked Oct 18, 2026

Make the bids comparable

  • Before the first calls

    Have this
    Project type, city, rough scope, timeline, drawing status
    Why
    Contractors can tell you quickly whether you need design, permits, construction or all three.

  • Before comparing bids

    Have this
    The same drawings, allowances, exclusions and permit assumptions in every bid
    Why
    Different assumptions create price gaps that disappear once work starts.

  • Before signing

    Have this
    License check, references, a sample contract, payment schedule, change-order terms
    Why
    These cover the usual problems: scope drift, surprise costs and unclear responsibility.

Questions to ask each contractor

Scope

  • What is included and excluded from this bid?
  • Which drawings or assumptions are you pricing from?
  • What allowances are in it for cabinets, tile, fixtures and windows?

Permits

  • Who pulls the permit and answers plan-check comments?
  • Which inspections do you expect?
  • What usually slows permits down in my city?

Money

  • What is the payment schedule, tied to which milestones?
  • How are change orders priced and approved?
  • What costs often show up later that are not in this number?

The job site

  • Who is on site day to day, and are they your employees or subs?
  • How often will I get schedule and budget updates?
  • Can I talk to two recent clients with a similar project?

Warning signs

  • A one-line number with no scope, allowances or exclusions.
  • Pressure to sign this week before the scope is clear.
  • Reluctance to give a license number, or a name that doesn't match the CSLB record.
  • No written change-order process.
  • A down payment request above $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less. California caps it there for home improvement contracts.

Source: California B&P Code 7159.5, checked Oct 18, 2026

Bay Area permits differ by city

Kitchen and bath remodels are reviewed over the counter in San Francisco and Berkeley, while Walnut Creek takes permits only online and issues nothing over the counter. Additions in Oakland, San Jose and Palo Alto can trigger planning review before the building permit. Each city page lists its own rules with the source: San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Palo Alto, Walnut Creek.

Questions

How many contractors should I get bids from?

Three, once your scope is written down. More than that usually adds confusion, not a better price.

What should I check before hiring a contractor in California?

On CSLB: active status, a class that covers your job, the $25,000 bond and workers' comp or an exemption. Then references, a sample contract, the payment schedule and the change-order process.

Should I get bids before I have drawings?

For small cosmetic work, yes. For additions, structural remodels and anything that needs plan review, get drawings first, or the bids will price different guesses.

How much can a contractor ask for up front?

On a California home improvement contract, the down payment is capped at $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less (B&P Code 7159.5).

Next steps on this site

Sources

  1. CSLB, Check a License, checked Oct 18, 2026
  2. CSLB, B-2 Residential Remodeling classification (B&P Code 7057.5), checked Oct 18, 2026
  3. CSLB, Bond requirements, checked Oct 18, 2026
  4. California B&P Code 7159.5, checked Oct 18, 2026

This guide explains public rules in plain words. It isn't legal advice. CSLB and the code sections above are the authority, and rules change.