Knowledge base

Contractor verification, answered.

111direct answers to the most common questions about checking a contractor’s license, business standing, court records, OSHA citations, and BBB complaints. Every answer is sourced.

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How to verify

How do I verify a contractor before hiring them?
How do I check if a contractor is licensed?
Is my contractor licensed?
How do I check court records on a contractor?
Do I need to verify subcontractors the same way as the general contractor?
How do I check if a contractor has insurance?
What should I verify on a contractor before signing the contract?
How do I check if an electrician is licensed?
How do I check if a plumber is licensed?
How do I verify an HVAC contractor?
How do I verify a contractor's bond and insurance?
How do I check if a contractor has filed for bankruptcy?
Does Groundcheck verify workers' compensation insurance?
How do I verify a handyman?
How do I verify a swimming pool contractor?
How do I verify a solar installation contractor?
How do I verify a contractor from another state?
How do I check if a contractor's business is real?
How reliable are online contractor reviews?
How do I verify a painter?
How do I verify a foundation repair contractor?
How do I verify a fence contractor?

What things mean

What is a contractor background check?
What does a contractor license lookup show?
What is an OSHA citation on a contractor and does it matter?
What does a contractor's BBB rating actually mean?
What does a "Clear" verdict on Groundcheck mean?
What does a "Critical" verdict on Groundcheck mean?
What does an "Unverifiable" verdict on Groundcheck mean?
What public records exist on contractors?
What is a SAM.gov exclusion and does it matter for my contractor?
What does a "Conditional" verdict on Groundcheck mean?
What does a "Caution" verdict on Groundcheck mean?
What does Groundcheck NOT verify?
What does an electrician license check show?
What does a plumber license check show?
What does an HVAC license check show?
What does a roofer license check show?
What does a painter license check show?
What does a handyman license check show?
What does a landscaper license check show?
What does a solar contractor license check show?
What does a general contractor license check show?

Legal

Is it legal to run a background check on a contractor?
Does FCRA apply to contractor background checks?
Does Groundcheck notify the contractor that I checked them?
What is a mechanics' lien and how does it affect me as a homeowner?
Is Groundcheck an FCRA consumer report?
Can a contractor see my Groundcheck report on them?

Red flags

What are the biggest red flags when hiring a contractor?
How do I avoid getting scammed by a contractor?
What is a phoenix contractor and how do I spot one?
What do I do if a contractor has a mechanics' lien against them?
What is a storm chaser contractor and how do I avoid one?
What are the signs of a bad contractor?
How do I tell if a contractor's license is fake?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring an electrician?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a plumber?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring an HVAC contractor?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a roofer?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a painter?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a handyman?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a landscaper?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a solar contractor?
What are the biggest red flags when hiring a general contractor?
What are the most common electrician scams?
What are the most common plumber scams?
What are the most common HVAC scams?
What is the roofer storm-chaser scam?
What are the most common painter scams?
What are the most common landscaper scams?
What are the most common solar contractor scams?
What are the most common general contractor scams?

Cost & pricing

Is there a free way to verify a contractor?
Is paid contractor verification worth it vs free options?
How much does a contractor background check cost?
Is Groundcheck overkill for small contractor jobs?

Process & next steps

What do I do if my contractor doesn't show up?
How do I file a complaint against a contractor?
How long does a contractor verification take?
How do I verify a contractor for a kitchen remodel?
How do I verify a roofing contractor after a storm?
How much deposit should I pay a contractor?
How do I recover a deposit from a contractor who didn't do the work?
How do I file a bond claim against a contractor?
What are state contractor recovery funds and can I claim from one?
How often should I verify a contractor during a long project?
How should real estate investors verify contractors on flips and rentals?

State-specific

Which states don't require contractor licensing?
How do I check a contractor's license in California?
How do I check a contractor's license in Texas?
How do I check a contractor's license in Florida?
How do I check a contractor's license in Arizona?
How do I check a contractor's license in North Carolina?
How do I check a contractor's license in Oregon?

Compared to alternatives

Groundcheck vs Angi: which one actually verifies contractors?
Groundcheck vs Thumbtack: which one verifies contractors better?
Groundcheck vs HomeAdvisor: which contractor check is more thorough?
Groundcheck vs BuildZoom: which contractor verification is better?
Are contractor references more important than public records?
Groundcheck vs the BBB: which one is more reliable?
Is commercial contractor verification different from residential?
Electrician vs handyman: who should I hire for small jobs?
Plumber vs handyman: who should I hire for leaks?
HVAC contractor vs handyman: who can do what?
Roofer vs general contractor: who should do my roof replacement?
Painter vs handyman: who should I hire?
Landscaper vs gardener: what is the difference?
Solar contractor vs electrician: who should install my solar?
General contractor vs handyman: how do I choose?
What is the difference between a general contractor and a subcontractor?