Choosing a general contractor is the most consequential decision you'll make on your renovation — more important than tile selection, cabinet finish, or countertop material. The right contractor turns a half-million-dollar investment into the home you imagined. The wrong one turns it into a cautionary tale.
I'm going to walk you through exactly how to evaluate a contractor, what questions to ask, and what warning signs to look for. Some of this will sound self-serving — I run a contracting company, after all. But everything here applies whether you hire us or someone else. A well-informed homeowner makes better decisions, and that's good for the entire industry.
Start With Licensing and Insurance
In Maryland, any contractor performing home improvements over $500 is required to hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license. This isn't optional — it's state law. You can verify a contractor's license number at the Maryland Department of Labor website.
Every contract, every proposal, every piece of client-facing documentation should display the MHIC number. If a contractor can't produce a valid license number, stop the conversation there. Ours is MHIC #151157.
Beyond licensing, ask for proof of general liability insurance and workers compensation coverage. Request a current certificate of insurance directly from their insurance carrier — not a photocopy from the contractor. If a contractor is uninsured and someone gets hurt on your property, you could be liable.
Where to Find Contractors
The best contractors are found through referrals, not advertisements. Ask friends, neighbors, and colleagues who have completed renovations similar to yours. Ask your architect or interior designer — design professionals work with contractors regularly and know who delivers quality and who doesn't.
If your home is in a historic neighborhood like Roland Park, Guilford, or Homeland, ask other homeowners in the neighborhood. These communities have specific architectural requirements, and contractors who understand them are worth seeking out.
Online reviews — Google, Houzz, and the Better Business Bureau — provide useful data points but shouldn't be your only source. A five-star rating with three reviews tells you less than a conversation with one past client who completed a project similar to yours.
The Interview: Questions That Matter
Once you've identified two or three contractors, interview each one. Not a quick phone call — a proper conversation, ideally at your home so they can see the project firsthand. Here are the questions that separate serious contractors from the rest.
"What does your preconstruction process look like?" This is the single most revealing question you can ask. A contractor who says "I'll get you a number next week" is guessing. A contractor who describes a structured planning process — site evaluation, design coordination, selection guidance, detailed estimating — is someone who builds projects on solid foundations. We've written extensively about why preconstruction matters.
"Can I see your scope of work from a past project?" Ask to see what the actual documentation looks like. A one-page summary and a fifteen-page scope of work may carry the same dollar amount, but they represent dramatically different levels of planning and protection. Detail in the scope is what prevents disputes later.
"What is your warranty, and is it in writing?" The industry standard is one year. If the contractor offers something longer, ask to see the actual warranty document — not a verbal promise. Understand what's covered, what's excluded, and whether there are inspections. Our warranty guide explains what to look for.
"Who will manage my project day-to-day?" You need to know whether the person selling you the project is the same person running it. If not, meet the project manager or construction manager before signing. Your daily experience will be shaped by this person's competence and communication style.
"How many projects are you running simultaneously?" A contractor running two projects can give yours serious attention. A contractor running eight is spread thin. There's no magic number, but you want to know where your project falls in their priority list.
"Can I speak with a client whose project finished in the last six months?" Not a hand-picked reference from three years ago — a recent client. Recent references reveal current performance, not historical reputation.
Evaluating Bids: What You're Actually Comparing
When you receive bids from multiple contractors, the temptation is to compare bottom-line numbers. Resist that temptation. A $350,000 bid and a $420,000 bid are not comparable unless they include the same scope, the same materials, the same warranty, and the same level of management.
Here's what to actually compare:
Scope detail. Does the bid describe specific work, or does it use vague language like "renovate kitchen per plans"? The more detailed the scope, the fewer surprises during construction. Read our cost guide to understand what drives renovation pricing.
What's excluded. The exclusions list tells you more than the inclusions list. If one bid excludes permit fees, dumpster rental, temporary protection, and final cleaning — and another includes them — the "cheaper" bid isn't actually cheaper.
Allowances. Compare allowance amounts. A $3,000 tile allowance on a project where you need $10,000 worth of tile is a hidden cost increase. Finishing selections before estimating is the best way to minimize allowances.
Overhead and profit. This is the contractor's fee — typically 15% to 25% of the construction cost. A lower percentage isn't automatically better. It may mean less management time on your project, lower insurance coverage, or a warranty that isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
The cheapest bid is almost never the cheapest project. The most accurate estimate is.
Red Flags
No MHIC license. Non-negotiable. Walk away.
Large upfront deposit. Maryland law limits deposits on home improvement contracts. A contractor asking for 40% upfront before any work begins is either desperate for cash flow or planning to use your money on someone else's project.
Vague contract. If the contract is a single page with a number at the bottom and nothing else, you have no legal protection when scope disputes arise — and they will.
No written warranty. "We stand behind our work" is not a warranty. If it's not documented in a separate, signed document with specific terms and timeframes, it doesn't exist.
Dramatically low bid. If one bid is 30% below the others with no clear explanation, something is missing. Either the scope is incomplete, the allowances are unrealistically low, or the contractor is buying the job and will make up the difference in change orders.
Pressure to sign quickly. "This price is only good until Friday" is a sales tactic, not a construction reality. A contractor confident in their value doesn't need to create artificial urgency.
Slow communication. If they take a week to return a phone call during the sales process — when they're trying to win your business — imagine how responsive they'll be six months into construction when they already have your money.
The Contract: What to Insist On
Your construction contract is your protection. A good contract should clearly define the scope of work, the total price or pricing methodology (lump sum vs. cost-plus), the payment schedule tied to milestones, the estimated start and completion dates, the change order process, the warranty terms, and the dispute resolution procedure.
In Maryland, the contract must also include the contractor's MHIC license number, required homeowner protection notices, and lien notice provisions. If your contractor's contract doesn't include these, they may not be complying with Maryland law.
Take the time to read every page. Ask questions about anything unclear. A contractor who gets impatient with your questions about the contract is telling you something about how they'll handle your questions during construction.
Trust Your Instincts
Beyond the numbers, the references, and the paperwork — pay attention to how the contractor makes you feel. Do they listen more than they talk? Do they answer your questions directly or deflect? Do they seem genuinely interested in your home, or just in getting the job?
You're going to spend months working with this person. They'll be in your home every day. Their crew will be in your kitchen, your bathroom, your bedroom. Personal rapport and mutual respect matter as much as credentials and pricing.
The right contractor should feel like a trusted advisor, not a salesman. And if something feels off — even if you can't articulate why — trust that instinct. It's usually right.
