What Florida Homeowners Should Verify Before Hiring a Contractor
Florida licenses most construction trades, and unlicensed contracting is both illegal and the single most common source of homeowner horror stories. Here is exactly what to check — and how — before any money changes hands.
The five checks that matter
State license
Look the contractor up at myfloridalicense.com (DBPR). Confirm the license class matches the work (roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, general contracting) and shows 'current, active.'
Insurance — from the source
Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurer, covering both general liability and workers' compensation. A paper copy handed to you can be stale or doctored.
Permits pulled by the contractor
The contractor should pull permits under their license. Being asked to pull an owner's permit for a contractor's job is a classic unlicensed-work red flag — it puts the liability on you.
Written scope, price and schedule
Florida's construction lien law makes written contracts especially important. The contract should name materials, milestones, cleanup and warranty terms.
Local, checkable references
Recent Tampa Bay projects you can see or owners you can call beat any number of online stars.
Red flags that end the conversation
Large cash deposits
Florida law and common sense both frown on big up-front payments. Stage payments against completed work.
'No permit needed'
For roofs, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and structural work, that is simply false — and unpermitted work surfaces at resale.
Door-to-door storm repairs
Legitimate Tampa Bay contractors are booked after storms; the ones knocking on doors mostly are not legitimate.
Pressure to sign an AOB
An assignment of benefits hands your insurance claim to the contractor. Never sign one under pressure.
License 'borrowing'
If the name on the truck, the contract and the license do not match, someone is renting a license — walk away.
How ProWorxx fits in
Directory badges on ProWorxx tell you exactly how much has been reviewed: profiles marked 'Listing Only' are self-reported, while Qualified and higher tiers reflect credential records our team has reviewed. Whatever the badge, the checks above are still yours to run for any significant project — no directory replaces a direct license and insurance check for a five-figure job.
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