What questions should you ask before hiring a bathroom remodeler?

The FTC's consumer guidance is blunt: consider only contractors who are licensed and insured, confirm the license with your state or county government yourself, and ask the contractor for proof of insurance. A license number you can verify online is the single fastest filter — every state licensing board runs a public lookup, and a remodeler who hesitates to give you the number has answered your question already.

Insurance has two parts, and you want evidence of both. NAHB's hiring checklist warns that if a remodeler lacks sufficient workers' compensation and general liability insurance, you may be liable for construction-related accidents on your own property. California's licensing board (CSLB) tells homeowners exactly how to check: ask to see a copy of the Certificate of Insurance, or ask for the insurance carrier and agency and verify directly. NARI adds that most states require workers' compensation, property damage, and personal liability coverage — ask for a current copy of both the license and the insurance certificate.

Get multiple estimates, in writing. The FTC says a written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price — and warns against automatically choosing the lowest bidder. California's CSLB is more specific: get at least three written bids, and make sure you are comparing them on identical plans, specifications, and scope of work.

A bid that comes in far under the others is a question, not a bargain. NARI's consumer guidance says to compare estimates only when they cover the same scope and quality of work, and to beware of any estimate substantially lower than the rest — the difference is usually scope that was quietly left out, and it comes back as change orders later.

The answer you want is: the contractor does. The FTC lists asking the homeowner to get the required building permits among the signs of a home-improvement scam — a legitimate remodeler pulls permits under their own license, because the permit holder is the party responsible for the work passing inspection. CSLB's contract guidance says the contract should state who gets the necessary building permits, so put the answer in writing.

Whether your project needs a permit at all depends on scope: like-for-like fixture swaps are often exempt, while anything moving plumbing or wiring usually is not. Our guide to bathroom remodel permits covers where the line falls and what permits cost.

Never pay everything up front — the FTC lists full-upfront payment and cash-only demands among scam signs, and says some states limit what a contractor can ask as a down payment. California's limit is concrete: CSLB says a down payment should never exceed 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. Even where your state sets no cap, that figure is a useful sanity check on what a reasonable remodeler needs to start.

Structure the rest as progress payments tied to completed work, and hold the final payment until the job is done and you are satisfied — the FTC's guidance says never to make the final payment until then.

Ask for a written contract even if your state does not require one — that is the FTC's advice, and it says the contract should include the contractor's name, address, phone number, and license number. CSLB's model is a good checklist: the contract should detail the work, the price, when payments will be made, who gets the building permits, and when the job will be finished. California requires a written contract for any home-improvement project over $500 in combined labor and materials; treat that as the floor everywhere.

Two more things belong in writing. Changes: CSLB says any mid-project change goes on a written change order with its price, and a signed change order becomes part of the contract. References: NAHB's checklist says to ask for names of previous customers — and to beware of a remodeler who won't provide them.