Do I need to verify subcontractors the same way as the general contractor?

The general contractor signs the contract with you, but the work is usually done by subcontractors — electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, roofers, drywallers, painters, framers. Verifying only the GC misses the people actually on your property doing the work.

Three risks transfer from subcontractors to you:

1. License risk. If the electrical work is done by an unlicensed sub, the inspection fails, the permit closes unfavorably, and your insurance may deny a claim if a future fire is traced to that work. Most states require trade-specific licenses (C-10 Electrical in California, EC in Florida, EL in Oregon) for any electrical work on a permitted job. Verify the sub holds the right license class on the day the work is done.

2. Insurance and workers' comp risk. Each subcontractor must carry their own workers' compensation policy. If a sub's worker is injured on your property and the sub has no workers' comp, the worker can sue you directly. Ask for a certificate of insurance from each sub and call the insurer to confirm it is current.

3. Mechanics' lien risk. Subcontractors who are not paid by the GC can file a mechanics' lien against YOUR property — even if you paid the GC in full. This is the most common source of "I paid for this twice" stories in residential construction. Protections: ask for lien releases from every sub at every milestone payment, use a joint check made out to the GC AND the sub, and in some states (California, Arizona, Florida) file a Preliminary Notice tracker.

How to verify subs: ask the GC for the full list of subs before signing the contract. Run each one through your state's license lookup. For permitted work, check the building department's permit history — the permits list which licensed contractor pulled them.

For homeowners hiring a GC: the GC is responsible for ensuring subs are licensed, but the legal risk falls on you. For homeowners hiring subs directly (acting as your own GC): you carry full responsibility for verification.

Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) supports per-entity searches, so you can run a separate report on the GC and each subcontractor. The Pro tier ($99.99/month) is built for this workflow — running 5-10 verifications on a single project is the common use case.