Before hiring a contractor in Miami, verify their state license and qualifying agent on DBPR, confirm workers’ compensation coverage with the state, get insurance certificates directly from their agent, and insist on a written scope with a payment schedule tied to completed work. Florida law also limits what a contractor can do with a deposit over 10%. The rest of this checklist covers how to judge the person, not just the paperwork.
Almost every renovation horror story was predictable. Not from the finished work, but from the way the contractor behaved before anyone had committed to anything. Here is what to check, in the order it matters, as of 2026.
1. Verify the license yourself
Do not accept a number on a business card or a claim on a website. Look it up directly at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s public search on myfloridalicense.com, which lets you search by name, license number, city or license type. You are checking three things: that the license is real, that it is current, and, the part people miss, that the licensed individual is the qualifying agent for the company you are actually contracting with.
Under Florida law, a business organization that lacks a qualifying agent for the scope of work is treated as unlicensed, and a contract made by an unlicensed contractor cannot be enforced by that contractor. That sounds like it protects you, but it cuts both ways. The Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund, which can compensate homeowners for certain violations, is described in the statute as covering losses caused by licensed contractors. Hire someone unlicensed and you may be left with a civil lawsuit as your only option.
The state registration or certification number is also required on permit applications, contracts, bids and advertising. If it is missing from a written proposal, ask why.
2. Confirm insurance from the source
Not a PDF the contractor emails you. Ask for the certificate of insurance to be sent directly from their agent, with you named as certificate holder. You want general liability and workers’ compensation.
Florida requires construction employers with even one employee to carry workers’ compensation, and that includes owners who are corporate officers or LLC members unless they hold a valid exemption. You can check coverage and exemptions yourself in the state Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Proof of Coverage database. An exemption covers the owner, not the crew.
3. Check the permit history, not just the portfolio
Anyone can show photographs. Permit records show what was actually built, where, and whether it passed inspection. Ask for the addresses or permit numbers of two or three recent jobs and look them up with the building department that issued them. Miami-Dade handles unincorporated areas, and cities like Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Aventura run their own departments. A builder doing significant work leaves a trail. Our portfolio shows the kind of projects we take on.
4. Read the negative reviews specifically
Five-star averages tell you very little. Read the one- and two-star reviews and look for patterns. One unhappy client in fifty is life. Three separate people describing the same behavior, such as disappearing mid-project, refusing to return for punch list items or demanding money ahead of schedule, is a forecast.
Also read how the contractor replied. A defensive or contemptuous response to criticism is how they will treat you when something goes wrong.
5. Require a written scope, not an estimate
A price on a single page is not a contract. The scope should state what is included, what is explicitly excluded, what allowance has been set for each material you have not yet chosen, and what the procedure is when something unexpected is found.
Allowances are where most disputes begin. “Tile allowance: $6/sq ft” means something. “Tile included” means nothing. Our article on renovation budget mistakes covers how allowances go wrong, and fixed-price versus cost-plus contracts explains the two main pricing structures.
6. Look hard at the payment schedule
Payments should follow completed work, not the calendar. A reasonable structure is a modest deposit, then payments tied to milestones, such as rough-in complete and inspected, drywall complete and cabinets installed, with a meaningful final payment held until the punch list is closed.
Red flag: a large deposit up front. Under Florida law, a contractor who receives more than 10% of the contract price as an initial payment on a residential job must apply for any required permits within 30 days of payment and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless there is just cause or you agreed otherwise in writing. Anyone asking for 50% before starting is either badly undercapitalized or using your money to finish somebody else’s job.
7. Check the contract for the notices Florida requires
For residential contracts above $2,500, Florida law requires two notices. One explains your rights under the Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund. The other is the construction lien law disclosure, printed in bold capitals and signed by you, warning that unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can file a lien on your property even if you have paid the contractor.
A contract missing both is a sign the contractor is not working from a proper document. It is also your cue to ask about lien releases, below.
8. Ask how lien releases will be handled
If a supplier or subcontractor sends you a Notice to Owner, they are preserving their right to lien your home. Before each payment, ask for written lien releases from anyone who has sent one. On projects over $5,000, a Notice of Commencement must also be recorded and filed with the building department before the first inspection. Ask who is recording it.
9. Ask who is actually on site every day
Is it the person you are talking to? Their crew? Subcontractors they have not met? Ask specifically: who is here daily, and who do I call when something is wrong? If the answer is vague, the project will be too.
At 26 Builders, Yosef is personally on every site, and one crew handles plumbing, electrical, tile, drywall, carpentry and finishes. That is the model we chose. Whatever model you hire, know which one it is.
10. Ask what they found on the last job that surprised them
An experienced builder will answer immediately and in detail, because it happens on every older home. Someone who says nothing ever surprises them either has not done much work or is not going to tell you when it happens on yours. If your home is from the 1950s to the 1970s, our article on renovating an older Florida home lists what tends to turn up.
11. Get a written schedule with milestones
Not one end date, but intermediate dates. That way slippage is visible in week two rather than week nine. For realistic durations, see how long a renovation takes.
12. Confirm who pulls the permit
It should be the contractor, under their own license. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit as the homeowner, be very careful. Under Florida’s owner-builder exemption you sign a statement accepting legal and financial responsibility for the project, agreeing to supervise it on site, and acknowledging you may be liable for injuries to unlicensed workers. It is a common workaround for someone who cannot pull the permit themselves. See owner-builder permit risks.
13. Ask for two references from projects finished 2+ years ago
Recent clients are still glowing. Clients two years on know whether the grout cracked, whether the doors still close, and whether the contractor came back when something needed attention.
14. Notice how they handle the estimate itself
Did they turn up when they said they would? Did the written scope arrive when promised? Did they measure, or eyeball it? Did they look behind anything, or just walk through?
How a contractor behaves while trying to win your business is the best version of how they will behave once they have it.
Mistakes homeowners make when hiring
- Choosing on price alone. The lowest bid often has the thinnest scope, and the difference returns as change orders.
- Comparing bids that are not comparable. Line them up against the same scope and the same allowances first.
- Paying ahead of the work to “secure a spot” on the schedule.
- Agreeing to changes verbally. Every change should be written, priced and signed before it is built.
- Not checking condo requirements. In a high-rise, the contractor also needs to satisfy the association. See condo renovation rules in Miami.
The single biggest predictor
A contractor who tells you something you do not want to hear during the estimate, that the budget is unrealistic, that the timeline is not achievable, that the wall genuinely cannot move, is worth more than one who agrees with everything. The second one is not being agreeable. They are deferring the argument until you have already paid a deposit. If you want to see how we work, start with our about page or the home renovation services overview.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Florida?
Search the contractor’s name or license number on the DBPR license search at myfloridalicense.com. Confirm the license is active and current, and make sure the licensed individual is the qualifying agent for the company named on your contract. If the company and the license holder do not match, ask the contractor to explain before you sign anything.
How much deposit should a contractor ask for in Florida?
The key Florida rule is about what happens after a large deposit. A contractor who takes more than 10% of the contract price up front on a residential job must apply for permits within 30 days and start within 90 days after permits are issued. A modest deposit followed by payments tied to completed, inspected milestones protects you far better than a large upfront payment.
What should a Florida construction contract include?
A detailed scope with inclusions, exclusions and material allowances, a payment schedule tied to milestones, a schedule with intermediate dates, a change-order procedure, and the contractor’s state license number. For residential contracts over $2,500, it must also include the Construction Recovery Fund notice and the construction lien law disclosure, which you sign.
How can I verify a contractor has workers’ compensation in Florida?
Use the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation’s online Proof of Coverage database, which also lets you search exemptions. Construction businesses with one or more employees must carry coverage. Also ask for a certificate sent directly from the contractor’s insurance agent. Remember that an owner’s exemption covers only that owner, not the workers on your job.
Should I pull the permit myself to save money?
Usually not. As an owner-builder you become the responsible party of record, legally and financially, and you must personally supervise the work. You may be liable for injuries to unlicensed workers, and your homeowner’s insurance may not cover them. A contractor who asks you to pull the permit is often one who cannot pull it themselves.
