Before you pay the deposit
The public record on the contractor you are about to hire, in one document.
License, bond, insurance, business entity, courts, discipline and permits, in any state. Every finding names its source and the day it was checked. Not ready? Check a Washington contractor free first.
Contractor Due Diligence Report
Contractor Due Diligence Report
Who should we check?
Optional. Not decided yet? Leave this empty and reply to our email after you order.
On time or your money back. Your report arrives by email within the time stated below. If a state's records are down or we cannot identify the contractor, we tell you within one business day and refund in full if you ask.
Not ready? Read a real report first. In Washington, look up the contractor's license, bond and insurance now, free. In any state, email us one contractor's name and state and we will send back what the state board shows on their license, free.
A license can be active and still leave a question worth asking. One Washington roofer we checked: licensed continuously since 2002, a $15,000 bond, $1,000,000 of liability insurance. Then the permits. One in Seattle, estimated at $70,796, was left Expired rather than Completed, so the work was never signed off under it. That is not proof of bad work. It is a question to put to them before you pay a deposit, and one a reference call won't hand you.
Read that report (PDF, 4 pages), names withheld. On a job that size, this report costs about half of one percent of the project.
What it answers
- Is the license real and current? License and classification with the state board, all 50 states and DC
- What stands behind the work? Bond and liability insurance on file, amounts and expiry dates
- Is the business what it says it is? The entity's status and how long it has existed
- Is there trouble on record? Federal cases, county court records, board discipline and complaints
- Were past jobs signed off? Permits under the contractor's name, including any left unfinished
- What should you ask? The questions to settle with this contractor before you sign
Every finding names its source and the day it was checked, so you can check our work.
How it works
- Type the contractor's name in the box above the button, then order. Not decided yet? Leave it empty and reply to the email from Addison that follows your order with the contractor's name, the state and city of the project, and the license number if you have it.
- That email also links a real sample report (names withheld), so you can see the format while you wait.
- Your report arrives by email within two business days of the order, or of your reply if you send the name later. Signing soon? Order at least two business days before you do.
Comparing bids? Three Bids covers up to three contractors, side by side, for $950: less than three single reports.
Workshop Media Co. is a small studio in Sammamish, Washington, run by Addison Lopez. This is a public-record review, not a consumer report or background check on any person, not legal advice and not a rating.
Questions before you order
Which states?
All 50 states and DC. We check the contractor with the state licensing board for the state where the work will be.
What if my state does not license contractors?
Some states leave general contractors to the city or county. The report says so and checks the city or county license instead, plus the business entity, courts and permits.
How fast?
Within two business days for one contractor, three for the three-bid edition, from your order if you name the contractor in the box above the button, or from the day you reply with the details if you send them later.
What do I send you?
Type the contractor's business name, the state and city of the project, and the license number if you have it in the box above the button. Leave it empty and you can send the same details by replying to the email from Addison at Workshop Media Co. that follows your order.
Is this a background check on a person?
No. It is a review of the business's public record: license, bond, insurance, business entity, discipline, court cases and permits. It does not cover criminal or credit history, and it is not legal advice or a rating of the contractor. What a contractor background check can cover.
What if you cannot identify the contractor?
If a state's records are down or the contractor cannot be identified, we tell you within one business day and refund in full if you ask.
Can I do this myself?
Yes. Our free guide, How to Vet a Contractor Before You Sign, lists the same checks and every state's license lookup. The report is for when you would rather have it done and written up, every finding sourced and dated.