South Florida Homeowner Guide
The Ultimate Checklist for Hiring a Contractor in South Florida
Hiring the wrong contractor is one of the most expensive mistakes a homeowner can make — and in South Florida, where humidity, hurricanes, and insurance underwriters punish shortcuts, the stakes are higher. This checklist walks you through exactly what to verify before you sign, from DBPR licensing to lien releases.
In this guide
- 1.Verify Florida licensing (DBPR)
- 2.Confirm liability and workers' comp insurance
- 3.Get at least three written bids
- 4.Check reviews, references, and recent local work
- 5.Insist on permits and inspections
- 6.Read the contract before you sign
- 7.Protect yourself from liens
- 8.Set expectations for communication and cleanup
Step 1
Verify Florida licensing (DBPR)
In Florida, most trades — roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, general contracting — require a state license issued by the Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR). Hiring an unlicensed contractor is a misdemeanor for the contractor and leaves you personally exposed if something goes wrong.
- Ask for the contractor's DBPR license number in writing before any deposit.
- Look it up at MyFloridaLicense.com and confirm the status shows Current, Active.
- Match the license class to the work — a handyman license does not cover roofing or electrical.
- For Palm Beach County specialty work, confirm any local competency card on top of the state license.
Step 2
Confirm liability and workers' comp insurance
A licensed contractor without current insurance is a red flag. Florida requires general liability and, for crews of four or more, workers' compensation. Without both, an on-site injury or accidental damage can land on your homeowners policy.
- Request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) sent directly from the insurance agent, not the contractor.
- Confirm general liability of at least $300K–$1M depending on project size.
- Verify workers' comp coverage or a valid exemption on file with the state.
- Ask to be added as an additional insured on larger renovation projects.
Step 3
Get at least three written bids
Verbal quotes create disputes. In South Florida, material costs (concrete, roofing, impact windows) swing fast, so line-item bids protect you from surprise change orders after work begins.
- Give every bidder the same scope of work in writing so you're comparing apples to apples.
- Look for itemized labor, materials, permits, cleanup, and disposal — not just a lump sum.
- Be cautious of bids more than 20% below the others; it usually signals missing scope or unlicensed labor.
- Confirm the bid names the licensed contractor performing the work, not a middleman.
Step 4
Check reviews, references, and recent local work
Online reviews are a starting point, not the finish line. For South Florida projects, ask for jobs completed in your city — a Boca or Jupiter roofer should have permit history right in your ZIP.
- Read Google and Better Business Bureau reviews from the last 12 months, not just lifetime stars.
- Ask for three references from projects finished in the past year and actually call them.
- Pull recent permit history from your county's ePermit portal (Palm Beach County, Broward, Miami-Dade all publish it).
- Drive by one completed project if possible — finished work tells you more than any brochure.
Step 5
Insist on permits and inspections
Any structural, electrical, plumbing, roofing, or window/door work in South Florida needs a permit — and the contractor (not you) should pull it. Unpermitted work will surface at resale, at insurance renewal, or after the next hurricane.
- The contract should list who pulls the permit and pay for it — the licensed contractor.
- Never accept the line 'we can skip the permit to save you money' — that's your future problem.
- Confirm the permit is posted on site before work starts.
- Do not make the final payment until the final inspection is signed off.
Step 6
Read the contract before you sign
Florida law requires a written contract for any residential job over $2,500. A one-page 'estimate' is not a contract. Slow down here — this is where most horror stories could have been avoided.
- Scope of work, materials, and brand/model of major items spelled out in detail.
- Firm start and substantial completion dates with a remedy if they slip.
- A payment schedule tied to milestones — deposits over 10% for jobs under $2,500, or over one-third otherwise, are unusual in Florida.
- Warranty terms in writing — labor, materials, and manufacturer warranties clearly separated.
- Florida's Construction Recovery Fund and 3-day right-to-cancel notice included where required.
Step 7
Protect yourself from liens
Under Florida's Construction Lien Law, unpaid subs and suppliers can put a lien on your home even if you paid the contractor in full. This step alone saves South Florida homeowners tens of thousands every year.
- Send a Notice of Commencement before work starts (required over $2,500).
- Collect a Release of Lien from every subcontractor and supplier before final payment.
- Request a Final Contractor's Affidavit at project close-out.
- Never pay 100% before the final walkthrough and lien releases are in hand.
Step 8
Set expectations for communication and cleanup
The best contractors set a rhythm from day one. If it takes a week to get a call back before you sign, it will take three weeks afterward.
- Agree on a single point of contact and a weekly update cadence.
- Clarify daily site cleanup, dumpster placement, and working hours (HOAs matter in South Florida).
- Document the pre-work condition of the site with photos before crews arrive.
- Put change-order rules in writing — nothing gets added without a signed, priced change order.
Skip the vetting
Krewa handles this checklist for you.
Every contractor in the Krewa network is pre-vetted against this exact standard — DBPR license verified, insurance on file, real references, permit history checked. You describe the project; we match you with two or three licensed local pros in under 24 hours.
This guide is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Florida licensing and lien law change — verify current requirements with the Florida DBPR and your local building department before signing any contract.