How to Choose a Contractor in Metro Detroit

For small repairs, one or two quotes from pros with good public ratings is usually enough. For anything structural, anything behind walls, or anything you will finance, get three. The Attorney General's office advises homeowners to get more than one written estimate and to read the contract carefully before signing.

Give every contractor the same written scope. If one quote is far lower than the others, it usually leaves something out: tear-off, disposal, permits, or the fix for a problem the others found. Ask each bidder to walk you through what is included, then compare line by line. If you are not sure which trade you need, start with Find a Pro and describe the problem.

Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) licenses residential builders and trades. Use the state's Find / Verify a BCC Licensed Professional or Business lookup. Search by business or person name, or by license number, and check three things: the name matches the contract, the license is active, and the license type fits your job.

Residential builder or maintenance and alteration contractor?

• Residential Builder: covers building a home and the broad range of repair, remodeling and addition work. Hire one for additions, whole home renovations, structural repair or any job that spans several trades.
• Maintenance & Alteration Contractor: licensed only for the specific trades printed on the license. LARA lists carpentry, concrete, excavation, insulation work, masonry, siding, roofing, screens and storm sash, gutters, tile and marble, house wrecking, swimming pools and basement waterproofing. A roofing-only M&A license does not cover your bathroom.

State law exempts only very small jobs from this license, so assume a paid home improvement project needs one. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC (mechanical) contractors hold their own separate state licenses, which the same lookup shows. When you hire an electrician, plumber or HVAC contractor, check that trade license, not a builder license.

Insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you directly by the agent, with your address on it. Call the agent if anything looks off. An uninsured worker hurt on your roof or a crew that damages a neighbor's car can become your problem.

Permits. Michigan's consumer protection advice says the builder should get all required permits, and warns that a contractor who asks you to pull the permit may have a licensing problem. In Detroit, permits go through BSEED; in the suburbs, your city or township building department issues them. Our permits guide explains who issues what.

Michigan's homeowner advice lists what a written contract should include. Make sure yours has:

• Contractor name, license number, street address and phone
• A detailed scope, materials and a cost breakdown
• Start and completion dates
• A statement that the contractor gets all required permits
• Payment dates and what triggers each payment
• Warranty terms and the change order process

Signed at your door? You may be able to cancel. Under Michigan's Home Solicitation Sales Act, when you buy goods or services at home from a seller who came to you, you generally have three business days to cancel. You must mail or deliver written notice to the address the seller gives you, and the seller must return your payment within ten days. The seller must tell you about this right in writing. Never sign a contract with blank spaces.