Real questions homeowners ask before they sign a contractor bid, answered in plain English by Tim, a working California superintendent. Start with one below, and bring an actual quote to Ask Tim when you are ready.
How to read a bid, spot what is missing, and tell if the price is fair, the way a superintendent does.
Read the answerWhy a quote can feel high when the price is actually fair, and how to tell the difference.
Read the answerWhat a vague line, an allowance, or a surprise fee on your bid actually means.
Read the answerWhy two bids for the same job land so far apart, and how to find the real difference before you pick.
Read the answerA far lower bid is usually a clue, not a gift. What a lowball hides, when it is actually fine, and how to tell the difference.
Read the answerThe warning signs a superintendent watches for on a contractor bid, and what each one really means.
Read the answerCash itself is not illegal, but cash with no contract, or full payment up front, is the real warning sign anywhere. How to pay and keep your leverage, plus what California adds.
Read the answerCalifornia law caps the deposit at $1,000 or 10 percent of the job, whichever is less, and how to pay the rest safely.
Read the answerNever pay ahead of the work. How to tie payments to real milestones and keep your leverage until the job is truly done, plus what California adds.
Read the answerWhat belongs in any home improvement contract, your federal three-day right to cancel, and what California law specifically requires.
Read the answerYes, a water heater swap needs a permit in California, plus the seismic strapping the state requires. Here is what to ask.
Read the answerUsually no permit under seven feet, but pool fences and local zoning change the answer. Here is the line.
Read the answerA small, low, freestanding deck can skip the permit. Miss any of the four tests and you need one.
Read the answerYes, replacing a furnace, AC, or heat pump needs a permit, and California can require energy testing. What to ask your installer.
Read the answerYes, a panel or service upgrade needs a permit and usually a licensed electrician. Here is what to expect.
Read the answerPaint and flooring are cosmetic and skip the permit. Touch structure, electrical, or plumbing and you cross the line.
Read the answerThe $1,000 line in California, what always needs a licensed pro, and what is safe to hand a good handyman.
Read the answerHow to vet a pro in five minutes, the real red flags, and why lead-fee sites make good contractors ghost you.
Read the answerGot a quote or a project in front of you? Ask Tim, a working California superintendent, a question and get a plain-English take for free. Want the full line-by-line read on a contractor's bid with a fair-or-not verdict? Run it through Check a Bid. And if the job needs a permit, use a licensed contractor who pulls it and stands behind the work.
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