Tell us about your project and find the right kind of contractor

What is Contractor Near Me?

We are a place to start when you know something in the house or the building needs work but are not sure who to call. A leak, a kitchen that no longer works for the family, a panel that trips every evening, a room you want to add: each of those belongs to a different kind of contractor, with a different license, and often a permit.

Sending us a request is free and does not commit you to anything. We listen to what you describe and help you sort out the trade, the license classification to look for on the state's records, and the questions that protect you when you compare bids and sign a contract.

How does a request work?

1. Tell us about the project with the form on this page or by phone. A few sentences are enough: what is wrong or what you want, where in the house, and how soon.
2. We call or email you back to go over it. We may ask about the age of the home, what you have already tried, and whether anyone has looked at it.
3. We talk through the kind of licensed contractor the work needs, whether a permit is likely to be part of it, and what to have ready for a site visit.
4. You decide whom to hire. Check the license yourself, compare written bids, and sign only when the contract says what you agreed.

Photos help a lot. If you can, take a few wide shots and one close-up of the problem area before you call.

How do I pick a licensed contractor in California?

Start with the scope. The Contractors State License Board sorts contractors into classifications, and the right one follows from how many trades the job involves. Its guide What Type of Contractor Do I Need? puts it simply: specialty contractors are usually hired for a single kind of work, and a general building contractor fits a job that needs more than two types of work.

A specialty contractor holds a C license for one trade. A few that come up often in homes, from CSLB's classification list:

• C-10 Electrical, C-36 Plumbing and C-39 Roofing.
• C-33 Painting and Decorating, C-9 Drywall, and C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering.
• C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile, and C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry.

A B, General Building contractor can take on a project that combines several unrelated trades, like a kitchen remodel or an addition, and bring in licensed specialty subcontractors for parts of it. For a single trade, a C license in that trade is often the more direct choice. When a job reaches $1,000 in labor and materials, or needs a permit, state law requires a licensed contractor.

Texas sorts this differently. There is no CSLB there; electricians, plumbers and air conditioning contractors are licensed by state agencies trade by trade, and Dallas and Fort Worth keep their own contractor registration for permits. Our guide has a section on checking a contractor in Texas with the lookup for each one.

How do I check a contractor before I sign?

Two short guides on this site cover the steps. How to check a contractor's license in California shows how to look up a license number on CSLB's free Check A License page and read the result: whether it is active, which classifications it holds, and the status of its bond and workers' compensation. You can also call CSLB at (800) 321-2752.

What a California home improvement contract must include covers the paperwork. The headline rules: a contract over $500 is written, the deposit is no more than 10 percent of the price or $1,000, whichever is less, and you have a window to cancel after signing, all set out on CSLB's contracts page.

Do you take commercial requests?

Yes. Offices, shops and rental buildings send requests too, for repairs, tenant improvements, painting, flooring and the same trades listed above. Commercial work often adds a landlord's approval, a property manager's access rules or work outside business hours. Mention any of those in the request, because they shape what to ask a contractor.

What we do, and what we don't

We take your project request at no cost and call or email you to talk it over: the kind of licensed contractor it needs, what a permit might involve, and what to ask. Contractor Near Me is not a licensed contractor and does not perform construction work. We do not quote prices, set schedules, inspect work or vouch for anyone you hire, and we do not name contractors on this site. Every license is yours to check on CSLB's site before you sign.

Planning something bigger? Start with the order of work in a whole-house remodel, the questions to ask a contractor and a home renovation checklist.

Sources: CSLB, What Type of Contractor Do I Need?; CSLB, License Classifications; CSLB, AB 2622 minor work exemption bulletin (2024); CSLB, Check A License; CSLB, Contracts and Binding Agreements.