Five documents and one question. If any of it is missing, keep looking.
What you should be able to ask for without any awkwardness
A serious contractor has this paperwork on hand and produces it without hedging. Having to chase it is itself an answer.
The five documents
- Certificate of insurance (COI), with general liability and workers' compensation.
- A current Florida license for the type of work.
- A W-9, if you are paying as a business or an association.
- A written estimate with materials, timeline and crew size.
- Before and after photos of work like yours.
The question
Who will be on site each day, and whether it is the same person from start to finish. Problems on a job are almost never technical: they are communication problems that start when the crew changes halfway through.
An estimate with no written scope is not an estimate. It is a number.
We bring that whole folder to the first visit, without being asked.
