Title: How to find a general contractor: bids | Cercha
Description: Find a general contractor for your home project. Check referrals, references, credentials, and written estimates before you choose.
Canonical: https://cercha.pages.dev/guides/find-a-general-contractor/
# How to find a general contractor for your home project
Choosing a residential GC
Define the project, ask for comparable references, check credentials, and compare written scopes before you choose a general contractor.
You want a general contractor who can handle your home project and explain the work before you commit. Write down your project, ask for referrals from similar jobs, and check the business. Compare written scopes before choosing a contractor. Ask what remains undecided before comparing prices.
This guide is for homeowners planning residential work. If you are a sub seeking builder relationships, use [how to find subcontracting work](/guides/find-subcontracting-work/). Use these questions to compare contractors. Ask the appropriate adviser about legal or insurance requirements.
## Write down the project you want priced
Describe the work in plain language. Identify the rooms or areas involved, what you want changed, and what you want kept. Include the drawings and specifications you have, with their dates.
Say how far along your plans are. If you have an idea but no drawings, ask what information the contractor needs before preparing a proposal. Keep an early discussion separate from a quote for an agreed scope.
Use this project brief:
| Topic | Information to prepare |
| --- | --- |
| Project | Addition, remodel, repair, or new home |
| Location | Project area and any access limits |
| Scope | Work you want included and areas excluded |
| Documents | Drawings, specifications, and revision dates |
| Decisions | Selections made and choices still open |
| Timing | Desired window and dates you cannot move |
| Occupancy | Whether you plan to stay in the home |
| Budget | Your planning limit and what it must cover |
Keep the same brief for each candidate. When the scope changes, send the same update to everyone still preparing an estimate. Ask each contractor to write down assumptions about missing details.
## Find general contractor referrals for similar work
Ask people you trust about projects close to yours. Ask what the contractor did, when the work occurred, and whether the person dealt with the same business and supervisor. Request permission before sharing their contact details.
The [Federal Trade Commission recommends trusted referrals and checking reviews critically](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam). Check the contractor behind each recommendation. Ask what work the person saw.
If a neighbor recommends a GC for a kitchen remodel, ask about daily communication and corrections. If you need a whole-house addition, ask the candidate for a reference from comparable work. Keep the difference visible in your notes.
Use company websites to widen the list. Look for the work the company takes and how to contact it. Save the project example that caught your attention so you can ask about it later.
## Ask whether the GC takes your kind of project
Open with the project, location, planning stage, and desired timing. Ask whether the company takes this type of work. If the answer is yes, ask what happens next and who would manage the project daily.
Adapt this first-call script:
> We are planning [project] in [area]. We have [drawings or scope stage] and want to understand your process. Do you take this work, and who would supervise it?
Ask which parts the company proposes to manage and which parts you would arrange separately. Ask who obtains required approvals, coordinates trade work, and handles customer questions. Ask the contractor to explain who does what. Do not assume a job title answers that.
Before agreeing, ask what site visits, estimating, or preconstruction services include. Request the terms in writing. Do not assume a conversation includes design work or a detailed takeoff.
## Check what the GC did in the portfolio
Choose a project that resembles your proposed work. Ask what the contractor's company managed, what it performed itself, and who supervised. Use the [general contractor portfolio guide](/guides/contractor-portfolio/) for questions about coordination and documented results.
Ask the candidate to explain an in-progress image as well as a finished room. Discuss a decision, handoff, or correction from that project. Ask for a reference who has agreed to talk about that work.
Instead of “Are you a good communicator?” ask how the homeowner received updates and approved changes. Instead of “Do you finish on time?” ask how the schedule changed and how the company explained it.
The [Copyright Office explains who generally owns project photographs](https://copyright.gov/engage/photographers/). Ask to see images the GC has permission to share.
Do not ask to enter a current project without permission. Arrange any visit through the contractor and the owner. Use the visit to discuss the agreed questions without interrupting active work.
## Talk to references about the process
Prepare the same core questions for each reference. Record the project type and the person's direct experience. Keep a short repair separate from a major remodel in an occupied home.
Ask:
- Who was your day-to-day contact?
- How did you agree on the original scope?
- How were changes priced and approved?
- What happened when a selection or delivery changed the sequence?
- Which corrections remained at handover, and how were they closed?
- What would you clarify before hiring the company again?
Let the reference answer in their own words. Record when the reference is unsure. If the proposed supervisor differs from the reference's supervisor, ask the candidate how your project would be staffed.
Keep private reference details in your own notes. Ask before recording a call or repeating a personal account publicly. Use the discussion to identify questions for the contractor, not to publish a rating.
## Check the business and applicable credentials
The [FTC directs homeowners to state or county government for license confirmation](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam). Ask the appropriate authority which license and scope apply to your project. Check the business that will sign your agreement.
For North Carolina projects, the [GC board's official lookup](https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search) provides company and license-number search fields. Use the result to ask the board about any mismatch or limitation. Keep the search date and record number.
Use the [board’s consumer FAQ](https://www.nclbgc.org/faq-consumers/) for questions about its verification process.
California's [CSLB advises checking a contractor's business address and telephone number](https://web.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/hire_a_contractor/Finding_The_Right_Contractor.aspx). Use that as a practical identity check while keeping California-specific rules attached to California. Ask your insurer or licensed agent what insurance evidence to review for your situation.
If you receive documents under different names, pause the selection and request an explanation. Match the explanation to the proposed contracting entity. A badge or familiar trading name does not complete the check.
Use the [contractor license lookup guide](/guides/verify-contractor-license/) to find the official record rather than relying on a portfolio badge.
## Compare the scope before the total
The [FTC recommends multiple written estimates covering work, materials, completion, and price](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam). It advises asking about large price differences. Request explanations in writing before deciding which proposal fits.
Compare estimates with this sheet:
| Comparison field | What to resolve |
| --- | --- |
| Scope basis | Same drawings, revision, and specifications |
| Included work | Demolition, construction, protection, and cleanup as relevant |
| Materials | Named selections, quantities, and responsibility |
| Allowances | Amount, item covered, and how later selections change the price |
| Exclusions | Work or costs you must arrange separately |
| Dates | Proposed start, completion, and stated conditions |
| Management | Supervisor, update method, and decision contact |
| Changes | Written approval and pricing process |
| Payment | Proposed milestones and unresolved terms |
| Closeout | Review, corrections, warranty documents, and contact |
Ask the contractor to explain every allowance in plain language. Record which selections remain open and what the estimate assumes. If you need a revised proposal, label the version you intend to accept.
Suppose one quote includes debris removal and another excludes it. Ask each contractor to explain what their quote covers. Do not compare the two totals as though they buy the same work.
## Review the agreement before committing
The [FTC says contract requirements vary by state and recommends a written agreement](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam). Ask your attorney or consumer protection office about terms you do not understand. Ask the contractor to put verbal commitments in the proposed agreement.
Read the work description, dates, payment process, changes, and closeout terms together. Check that the agreement names the company and work you chose. Resolve blank or conflicting terms before signing.
The [FTC warns against paying the full project amount upfront](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam). Ask your state or local consumer agency about applicable payment rules. Do not apply another state's deposit limit to your agreement.
Keep the accepted proposal, agreement, changes, correspondence, and verification record in one place. Agree on the contact for questions before work begins. Name the person who will settle each open item and set a deadline.
For a Raleigh project, the [city’s residential inspection list](https://raleighnc.gov/permits/services/residential-inspections) separates the permit checkpoints. Ask the GC who requests each applicable inspection and closes corrections.
## Where Cercha fits
Cercha's professional profiles, named project portfolios, and endorsements help building professionals show their work; Messages supports member conversations. Its initial market is the Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), with a waitlist elsewhere. This homeowner guide does not establish homeowner accounts or a homeowner matching service; the beta inquiry is for the professional network.
Published 2026.10.14. Updated 2026.10.14.
[More guides: Getting work]()
## Related guides
- [Build a general contractor portfolio around responsibility]()
- [How to vet a subcontractor before awarding work]()
- [How to find subcontracting work with home builders]()
## Build your connections
[Ask about the professional beta]()
## Sources
1. Federal Trade Commission. (2022, July). *How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam*. Consumer Advice. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam
2. Contractors State License Board. (n.d.). *How do I find the right licensed contractor?* California CSLB. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://web.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/hire_a_contractor/Finding_The_Right_Contractor.aspx
3. North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. (n.d.). *Verify License/Qualifier Search*. NCLBGC. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search
4. North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. (n.d.). *FAQ for Consumers*. NC Licensing Board for General Contractors. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://www.nclbgc.org/faq-consumers/
5. City of Raleigh. (n.d.). *Residential Inspections*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://raleighnc.gov/permits/services/residential-inspections
6. U.S. Copyright Office. (n.d.). *What Photographers Should Know about Copyright*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://copyright.gov/engage/photographers/