How Do I Find a Good General Contractor Near Me?

When looking for a good general contractor in Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, or Orange County, you should start by looking for a general contractor who is licensed. To do this, you would go to the California State License Board’s website, where you can do a license check. You can input their license number or their company name and see if they have a license that is current and active. In California, a contractor must be licensed in order to legally take on a project that costs more than $500. Beware of contractors who will give you someone else’s license number—either because they don’t have one or because theirs has complaints against it. Make sure their company name matches the company name attached to the license number they give you!

Another important thing to look for on the CSLB website is how long a general contractor has been in business. It can be risky to hire a brand-new general contractor, as they might not have some of the experience necessary to take on complex building or remodeling projects. You will notice on our business information page (CSLB license # 594791) that our general contractors license was issued in 1990. Since that time, there have been zero complaints filed against our license!

Checking the license of a general contractor is a good first step, but just because someone has a license doesn’t mean they’re a good contractor and will do a great job on your project. You need to do some additional homework by gathering references and reviews from people who have worked with the contractor in the past.

At Scott McKee Construction, we are able to provide prospective clients with a long list of references that include not only past clients, but also material suppliers, city officials, architects, and interior designers we’ve worked with over the years. We are confident that all of them would be happy to recommend us as a great general contractor for your upcoming home build or remodeling project.

If your general contractor is willing to give you the contact information for some of their past clients, here are some great questions to ask:

• What was it like working with your general contractor?
• Did your general contractor stay on time and on budget?
• Did your general contractor make any changes that you weren’t expecting or didn’t ask for?
• Was your contractor easily accessible and easy to talk to?
• Did he or she listen to and understand your needs?
• Did your contractor provide you with a clear understanding of your options and how each of them would impact your budget?
• Did your general contractor meet or exceed your expectations?

Choosing the right general contractor is an important part of the success of your building or remodeling project! Take your time and do your homework before making the important decision about which general contractor to hire.