How do I verify a contractor for a kitchen remodel?
Verify the contractor holds an active general building license (or local equivalent), confirm they have pulled permits for kitchen remodels in your jurisdiction, check Secretary of State entity status, run a court-records check for liens and breach-of-contract cases, and call the insurer to confirm general liability and workers' comp.
A kitchen remodel typically involves four trades — general carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and gas — across a 4-12 week timeline with $20,000 to $150,000 in budget. The verification must cover both the general contractor and the trade subcontractors.
General contractor verification:
1. License class. In states with general contractor licensing (California "B" license, Arizona B-1 or B-2, Oregon CCB, North Carolina "Unlimited" or "Building"), confirm the license class authorizes the work. A roofing-only license cannot legally pull permits for a kitchen remodel. In states without GC licensing (Colorado, Illinois, Texas, etc.), check the local building department's contractor registration.
2. Permit history. The single best signal a GC can actually do kitchen remodels is a track record of pulling kitchen-remodel permits. Most building departments publish permit data; BuildZoom aggregates it nationally. A GC with 20 kitchen-remodel permits closed in the last 3 years is more verifiable than one with marketing material claiming kitchen expertise.
3. Court records. Search by business name and qualifier name in your county and any county the GC operates in. Mechanics' liens, breach of contract judgments, and bankruptcy filings predict job-completion risk.
4. OSHA. A pattern of safety citations predicts crew injuries on your property — kitchen remodels involve circular saws, ladders, gas lines, and live electrical.
Subcontractor verification:
5. Electrical: licensed C-10 (California), EC (Florida), EL-01 (Oregon), or equivalent. Permitted work requires a licensed electrician of record.
6. Plumbing: licensed C-36 (California), CFC (Florida), or equivalent. Gas line work in particular requires a licensed plumber or gas fitter; this is not optional.
7. HVAC: if you're moving range hood ducting or relocating the gas range, the HVAC sub must be licensed.
Insurance verification:
8. General liability minimum $1M for any kitchen remodel above $20,000. Get a Certificate of Insurance naming you as cert holder, then CALL the insurer to confirm the policy is in force.
9. Workers' compensation: confirm the GC's policy covers the qualifier and any direct employees. Each sub must carry their own.
Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) runs the license, Secretary of State, court, OSHA, BBB, and phoenix checks in one search. Run it on the GC and each subcontractor before signing. Groundcheck does NOT verify insurance certificates or pull permit history — for permits use BuildZoom or the local building department, for insurance call the insurer directly.
Project-specific tips: kitchen remodels are the highest-risk residential remodel category for cost overruns and change orders. Verify the contract has a fixed change-order process, a clear payment schedule tied to milestones (not calendar dates), and a defined completion definition with a holdback (typically 10%) until the local building inspector signs off on the final inspection.
Run a free Groundcheck
Verify any contractor or business. License status, court records, OSHA history. Under 90 seconds. The business is never notified.