How to read a permit record, check a license and judge a contractor by what the city has on file. Every number comes from the record or a named source; nobody paid to be on any page.
Check an Austin contractor: TDLR for electrical and A/C, TSBPE for plumbing, TCEQ for irrigation, City registration, and the AB+C permit search.
Check a Chicago contractor: the city's GC classes A to E, electrical, plumbing and mason licenses, the state roofing license, and the permit record.
Check a Cincinnati contractor: the City's required registration, Ohio's OCILB license for HVAC and plumbing, the permit search, and 15,800 permits.
How to look up a Columbus contractor's city license and Ohio OCILB license, which license each job needs, and what 75,000 Columbus permits show.
Check a Henderson, NV contractor: the State Contractors Board license and monetary limit, the DSC Online permit search, and what 33,000 permits show.
Check an Oʻahu contractor: the DCCA license and class, RICO complaint history, permits in HNL Build, and what 32,000 Honolulu permits show.
Check a Miami contractor: Florida DBPR licenses, Miami-Dade certificates of competency, the City of Miami permit search, and what the permits show.
Minneapolis roofing permits, usual filed value, finish rate and license matches, and the Minnesota ice-barrier and permit rules for metal and shingles.
Check a Minneapolis contractor: DLI residential, roofer and plumbing licenses, the City's mechanical and specialty licenses, and what the permits show.
Check a Nashville contractor: the Tennessee license and home improvement license, Metro Codes trade certificates, ePermits and what 121,000 permits show.
Check a New York City contractor: DOB licenses and GC registration, the DCWP home improvement license, the permit portals, and what 107,000 permits show.
Check an Orlando contractor: Florida DBPR licenses, the City of Orlando's contractor registration and bonds, the permit lookup, and what the permits show.
Check a Raleigh contractor: which of North Carolina's three licensing boards covers the job, the City's permit portal, and what 40,000 permits show.
Check a Saint Paul contractor: the DLI license, the city's own contractor and warm-air licenses, the PAULIE permit search, and what 72,000 permits show.
Check a San Diego contractor: which CSLB classification each job needs, the City's permit search tools, and what 42,000 San Diego permits show.
What ADU permits in unincorporated San Diego County were filed at by floor area, plus the County's size limits, ended fee waiver and 750 sq ft rule.
Heat-pump and HVAC change-out permits in unincorporated San Diego County, side by side: counts, firms, share closed, days to final, where heat pumps win.
Check a San Francisco contractor: which CSLB class each job needs, what DBI asks for before a permit, DBI's permit tracker, and what the permits show.
Check a Scottsdale contractor: the Arizona ROC license and class, the $1,000 handyman rule, SPUR and the permit search, and what 16,000 permits show.
Seattle's permit file splits heat pumps from furnaces. Permits, firms, usual filed value, finished share, days to finish and busiest month, side by side.
Check a Seattle contractor: L&I registration and electrical licenses, SDCI refrigeration and gas piping licenses, plumbing permits and the permit search.
When a Waco lawn sprinkler needs a permit, the City's listed fees, the TCEQ irrigator license, and what 3 years of Waco irrigation permits show.
Check a Waco contractor's license: TDLR for electrical and A/C, TSBPE for plumbing and gas, TCEQ for irrigation, and what Waco's permits show.
Wheaton contractors register with the City; roofers need an IDFPR license and plumbers an IDPH one. Where to check each, and what Wheaton's permits show.
Iowa contractor registration lookup — the $2,000 rule, the separate electrical and plumbing searches, the $25,000 out-of-state bond, and the gaps.
Arizona contractor license lookup — the Registrar of Contractors search, residential vs commercial classes, the $1,000 handyman rule and the Recovery Fund.
California contractor license lookup on CSLB in three steps — what the record shows, what Suspended means, the $1,000 rule and what CSLB cannot tell you.
Colorado has no state general contractor license. Where to check builders in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs, and electricians and plumbers with DORA.
Florida contractor license lookup on MyFloridaLicense — Certified vs Registered, what Delinquent means, and what DBPR cannot show you.
Hawaii contractor license lookup — the PVL search, RICO complaint history, A, B and C classes, the $1,500 rule and the $12,500 Recovery Fund cap.
Illinois has no state general contractor license. How to check roofers (IDFPR), plumbers (IDPH), and Chicago and Naperville contractors.
Massachusetts has two contractor credentials, the CSL and the HIC registration. Where to check each, when you need both, and the $25,000 Guaranty Fund.
Minnesota contractor license lookup — DLI's license search, which trades need which license, the $15,000 exemption, and the Contractor Recovery Fund.
Missouri contractor license lookup — no state GC license, the optional statewide electrical one, and how to check St. Louis City and County licenses.
Nevada contractor license lookup — the State Contractors Board search, classes, the monetary limit, penalties and the $40,000 Recovery Fund.
New Mexico contractor license lookup — CID's PSI search, GB-2 and GB-98, the $7,200 handyman limit, the $10,000 bond and unlicensed-work penalties.
New York State does not license contractors. How to check one in New York City — DOB for plumbers, electricians and GCs, DCWP for home improvement.
North Carolina contractor license lookup — three boards, which one your job falls under, the $40,000 rule, and what none of them can tell you.
North Dakota contractor license lookup on FirstStop — the $4,000 rule, license classes A to D, penalties, and what the record leaves out.
Ohio contractor license lookup — the OCILB search for electrical, HVAC and plumbing, Cincinnati and Cleveland registration, and the $25,000 home rule.
Oregon CCB license search — what the license summary shows, bond and insurance, the $1,000 exemption, penalties, and what the CCB cannot tell you.
Pennsylvania has no state contractor license. Check the Attorney General's HIC registration, Pittsburgh's PLI license and Allegheny County plumbers.
Tennessee contractor license lookup at verify.tn.gov — the $25,000 rule, the $3,000 home improvement license in Nashville, and what it leaves out.
Texas contractor license lookup — TDLR for electricians and AC, the plumbing board for plumbers, and why Texas has no general contractor license.
Utah contractor license lookup on DOPL — B100, R100 and S classes, the $7,000 handyman limit, the empty lien recovery fund, and the 2027 rewrite.
Virginia contractor license lookup — DPOR's search, Class A, B and C limits, specialties, penalties and the $30,000 Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund.
Washington contractor license lookup in three steps — L&I's Verify tool, what each field means, and what it cannot tell you.
Vermont contractor license lookup — OPR registration over $10,000, the $1M insurance rule, Fire Safety's electrician lists and the AG's fraud registry.
Days from permit issue to final sign-off for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, remodel, new-home and solar permits on homes in 43 US cities.
Look up every permit a contractor has pulled, by company name, in 52 US cities, how to read finished share and job value, and what the record leaves out.
Verify a contractor in three checks, license board, city permit history and insurance certificate, with the official lookup for 24 states.
For 23 cities, the share of permit-pulling firms with an active state license, the official lookup, and what an unlicensed hire means in CA, WA and TX.
Ten questions for a pool builder, the license and payment rules in CA, FL, AZ, NC and TX, and usual pool permit values and timelines in 16 cities.
What a star rating measures, what the city's permit file measures, and which one to trust for each question you have about a contractor.
Usual filed value, firms, finished share and days to finish for ADUs and additions in seven cities, from the permit file, plus a decision table.
When a deck or patio needs a permit, in the code's words and ten cities' own rules, plus usual filed deck values, firms and days to final.
The handyman exemption in 16 states from the statute or board page (dollar limit, permit rule, excluded trades), and license rates in our cities.
Roofing permits, firms and usual filed value in 27 cities, and the code, hail and hurricane rules where metal and shingles differ.
The owner-builder exemption in 10 states from the statute (resale rules, hiring, workers' comp), and how often owners pull permits in 8 of our cities.
When a handyman can do plumbing and when you need a licensed plumber, state by state, with plumbing and water-heater permit values in our cities.
What an HVAC replacement is filed at in 12 cities and counties, which jobs need a permit, and the Bay Area zero-NOx rule that applies only at burnout.
Repair or replace your roof? Usual roofing permit values in 13 cities, Florida's 25% rule, Seattle's 500 sq ft line, and a decision table.
Lease, PPA, loan or cash, from the CPUC's consumer guide; the 2026 federal credit status from IRS.gov; and solar installers' permit records in 12 cities.
Water-heater permits, firms, filed value and days to final in 12 places, DOE and ENERGY STAR facts on both types, and the 2026 credit and rebate status.
Bond and insurance minimums in 11 states from the board pages, how a $15k–$30k bond compares with the usual filed job, and how to verify a policy.
Contractor or plumber didn't finish the job? Notice, board complaints, bonds, recovery funds and small claims limits by state, and the permit.
How to look up whether a contractor pulled a permit for your job, with the official permit search for 46 cities and what to do if nothing is on file.
What three cities say needs a permit, what Miami charges for work started without one, the permit questions on TX, WA and OR seller forms, finish rates.
Roofer left the job half done? Protect the roof, read the permit, send notice, then the board, bond and recovery fund, with roofing finish rates by city.
Why a building permit stays open after the work is done, how often it happens by city and trade, when it expires, and the steps to close it.
Angi and HomeAdvisor are one company. What each shows a homeowner, how each is paid for, and the permit and license record neither one pulls.
Eight alternatives to BuildZoom for checking a contractor, compared on who pays, permit data, license checks, cost and coverage, from each site's pages.
Both sites read building permits. BuildZoom adds reviews and marketplace signals and is paid by hired contractors; we score the record only, for free.
Houzz is a photo portfolio and pro directory, Angi a lead marketplace. What each shows, how listings are ordered, and the remodel record neither has.
Angi is free for homeowners and good for fast quotes. Here is what its badge checks, what it cannot show you, and the two free checks to add.
A neighbour's recommendation is a good start and checks nothing. How to run a Nextdoor name against the license board and the permit file in five minutes.
Twelve free sites for finding a contractor plus one paid one, with who pays for each, how the list is ordered, and whether it shows permits or a license.
What Thumbtack and Angi actually verify (license, background check, reviews), how contractors pay each, and the permit check neither one does.
How Yelp, Google and Angi filter contractor reviews by their own published rules, what the FTC review rule bans, and what the permit file adds.
The usual filed value of a detached garage permit in 16 cities, the spread between builders, how long the permit takes, and who may build one.
What a home EV charger install is filed at in 8 cities (about $900 to $2,300), permit fees, the end of the federal credit, and who may install it.
An electrical permit is usually filed at about $1,100 to $6,000, by city. 18 cities, the range electricians file, permit fees, and how fast permits close.
An HVAC permit is usually filed at about $5,700 to $17,500, by city. 16 cities, the range firms file, how fast permits close, and the 2026 tax credit.
A home addition permit is usually filed at about $66,000 to $230,000, by city. 14 cities, the range builders file, and why additions take most of a year.
A home remodel permit is usually filed at about $12,500 to $46,000, by city. 18 cities, the range firms file, and how long remodels take.
Contractor license fees from each state board: CSLB, Oregon CCB, WA L&I, Arizona ROC, Florida DBPR and six more, plus bonds and what a handyman pays.
What general contractor jobs were filed at in 12 cities, the overhead and profit on new homes (NAHB), and when a handyman or trade costs less.
FHA Title I loans go to $25,000, a Limited 203(k) to $75,000, USDA repair loans to $40,000 at 1%. What each covers, against filed roof and HVAC costs.
What tuckpointing costs in Chicago by permit record, how long good repointing lasts, when it is worth it, and Chicago's masonry permit and license rules.
A new house is usually filed at about $190,000 to $950,000 in building cost, by city, before land. 20 cities, the builder range and build times.
A roof replacement permit is usually filed at about $10,500 to $20,400, by city. 16 cities, the range roofers file, and how fast permits close.
Home solar is usually filed at about $15,000 to $37,000 by city. What installers filed in 20 cities, the end of the 30% credit, and how to check them.
The usual value filed on roofing, HVAC, remodel, new-home and solar permits in 48 US cities and counties, with the cheapest and costliest places.
A window replacement permit is usually filed at about $4,500 to $24,000, by city. 16 cities, the range installers file, and when you need a permit at all.
Share of home permits filed by the five busiest firms, by city and trade, in 53 US cities and counties. Where a few firms dominate and where none do.
The share of home permits a year or more old that were finished and closed, by city and trade, with sample sizes, for 46 US cities and counties.
Which month sees the most home permits filed for HVAC, roofing, solar, remodels and more, in 50 US cities and counties, and how big the seasonal swing is.
The busiest and quietest filing month for HVAC, electrical, solar and roofing permits in ten cities, and what a quiet month means for booking.
Ten questions to ask a contractor before hiring, what a good answer sounds like, and the license board, permit search or insurer call that checks it.
Three contractor red flags you can measure in the permit and license record, with counts for 8 cities, and seven behaviour flags from official sources.
Who licenses deck builders in 13 states, ten questions to check on the permit record, and five red flags with real deck-permit numbers from 17 cities.
Who licenses fence contractors in 8 states, eight questions to check on the permit record, and five red flags with fence-permit numbers from 12 cities.
Who licenses foundation repair in 8 states, California's $3,000 retrofit grant, eight questions to ask, and five red flags from 15 cities' permits.
Which licenses a standby generator install needs in 4 states, eight questions to ask, and five red flags from generator permits in 7 cities.
Who licenses plumbers in 19 states, ten questions to ask and how to check each on the permit record, and five red flags with numbers from six cities.
Who licenses remodelers in 23 states, deposit and recovery-fund rules, ten questions to check on the permit record, and five red flags with real numbers.
Who licenses roofers in 12 states, ten questions to ask a roofer and how to check each on the permit record, and five red flags with real numbers.
Who licenses siding contractors in 6 states, the EPA lead rule for pre-1978 homes, eight questions to ask, and five red flags from siding permits.
Who licenses solar installers in 20 states, ten questions to check on the permit record, FTC and IRS warnings, and five red flags from six cities.
Who licenses HVAC contractors in 19 states, the EPA 608 rule, ten questions to check on the permit record, and five red flags with numbers from six cities.
Who licenses electricians in 21 states, ten questions to ask and how to check each on the permit record, and five red flags with numbers from six cities.
Get at least three written quotes on the same scope (CSLB, NAIC). Then check them against what local firms usually file for the job, by trade and city.
How to choose a home builder by its permit record: new-home permits, builders, usual value and finish rates in 44 cities, and license rules by state.
Compare contractor bids on one scope: price type, deposit, permit, licence, insurance and dates, checked against state rules and local filed job values.
California must permit most unpermitted ADUs built before 2020 under AB 2533. What qualifies, what inspectors check, fees, timelines, and ADU permit data.
Water heater, reroof, deck, fence, shed, windows, HVAC, solar: which home projects need a permit, in the cities' own words, and how many permits they get.
Paint, floors, cabinets, short fences, small sheds and like-for-like swaps: the work 7 cities exempt from permits, and when homeowners pull their own.
Plain definitions of every field in a building permit record, from issued to final, expired and void, with the status words six cities actually use.
Electricians and plumbers need a license in all 10 states here; roofers, HVAC and general contractors depend on the state. Table and lookups.
37% of Realtors advise a new roof before selling; solar added about $4 a watt in a Berkeley Lab study. How a roof's filed cost compares with home values.
Asphalt shingles last about 20 years; metal, tile and slate about 40. When to replace a roof, how to spot hail damage, and what replacements are filed at.
A suspended license means the contractor cannot legally contract until it is fixed, often a lapsed bond or unpaid judgment. CA and WA rules and what to do.
A heat pump is an air conditioner that also runs in reverse to heat. How it compares with an AC and a furnace, its lifespan, and what installs cost.
An ADU is a second, self-contained home on a house lot. The types (attached, detached, garage, JADU), California's size and parking rules, and filed costs.
A contractor should finish at least as many permits as the middle of its city and trade. Benchmarks for 12 trades and cities, and how to check one firm.
Permit to final inspection: a water heater takes 2–5 weeks, a remodel 3–7 months, a new house about 6 months or more. 13 jobs in 6 cities.
Tank and heat pump water heaters last 10 to 15 years, tankless about 20 (DOE). How to read your unit's age, and what replacements are filed at.
Furnaces are rated about 20 years and heat pumps about 15. ENERGY STAR's replacement ages, the signs, and what HVAC replacements are filed at in 8 cities.
Design-build firm or designer plus general contractor: how bidding and cost control differ, who may draw residential plans, and how long jobs take.
Fixed price, cost-plus or time and materials: who carries an overrun, what Ohio and Vermont law say about each, and how wide filed job values run.
In 8 of 10 cities a new house is filed at over 10 times the usual remodel, plus demolition. Costs and timelines by city, and the 50% flood-zone rule.
A water heater replacement is usually filed at about $2,300 to $5,000. When a repair makes sense, when a tank lasts 10–15 years, and when a permit is due.
When a general contractor must hand work to licensed subcontractors in CA, FL, WA and TN, and what that means for your permits and liens.