---
title: "Questions to Ask a Contractor: Before You Sign"
url: https://remodelbycuttingedge.com/questions-to-ask-contractor/
date: 2026-10-11
modified: 2026-10-11
lang: en
author: "Blane Perun"
description: "Questions to ask a contractor before hiring in Southwest Florida: license checks, insurance, permits, payment terms, change orders, liens and warranties."
image: https://remodelbycuttingedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/General-Contractor-from-Cutting-Edge-Bonita-Springs-1-1024x572.webp
word_count: 913
---

# Questions to Ask a Contractor: Before You Sign

![Questions to Ask a Contractor Before You Sign by Cutting Edge Kitchen & Bath](https://remodelbycuttingedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/General-Contractor-from-Cutting-Edge-Bonita-Springs-1-scaled.webp)General Contractor · Bonita Springs & Naples
# Questions to Ask a ContractorBefore You Sign
Projects From$25.5KBased on our General Contractor packagesDesign VisitFreeLiDAR scan and photo-real 3D renderBuilt ByOur CrewsLicensed Florida GC, 500+ SWFL remodels
By **Blane Perun**, Owner · Cutting Edge Kitchen & Bath·20 years property management · 500+ SWFL remodels · Updated October 2026

The short answer
Before hiring a remodeling contractor in Florida, ask for their state license number and verify it online with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Then ask for certificates of general liability and workers' compensation insurance, recent local references, who pulls the permits, who supervises the job day to day, what the payment schedule is, and whether the contract is a fixed price with a written scope. Clear answers to those questions protect you better than any portfolio.

[Part of our General Contractor guide →](/general-contractor-bonita/)

![General contractor reviewing remodel plans with Bonita Springs homeowners](https://remodelbycuttingedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/General-Contractor-from-Cutting-Edge-Bonita-Springs-2-scaled.webp)General Contractor · Cutting Edge Kitchen & Bath

## Which Questions Should You Ask First?
Start with credentials. A Florida certified contractor holds a state license that works statewide, while a registered contractor is licensed for specific local jurisdictions. Either way the license number belongs on the contract and can be checked on the DBPR website, along with any complaints or discipline. Ask for insurance certificates sent directly from the insurer, and confirm workers' compensation covers the crews on your job, not just the office.

Then ask how the job will run. Who pulls the permit, and will it be in the contractor's name? Who is on site each day, and are the crews employees or subcontractors? How are change orders priced and approved? What is the deposit, and how do payments tie to completed milestones rather than dates? Ask about lead times for cabinets, windows and tile, and what happens if a product is delayed. Request a written warranty and ask how warranty calls are handled. Finally, ask what the price includes: design, permits, dumpsters, cleanup and final inspection should all be spelled out, so the lowest bid is not simply the least complete.

| Question | What a good answer looks like |
| -------- | ----------------------------- |
| What is your Florida license number? | A number you can verify on the DBPR website |
| Can I see your insurance certificates? | Liability and workers' comp, sent by the insurer |
| Who pulls the permit? | The contractor, in their own name |
| Who supervises my job? | A named project lead on site regularly |
| Is the price fixed? | Yes, with a written scope and allowances listed |
| How are payments scheduled? | Tied to completed milestones |
| How are change orders handled? | Written, priced and signed before work |
| What warranty do you offer? | Written terms and a clear service process |

Hire a Licensed *Contractor.*
See how our licensed general contracting covers permits, structure, every trade and code compliance.

[See GC Services →](/general-contractor-bonita/)[Set an Appointment](/contact/)

## What Should Southwest Florida Homeowners Also Ask?
Florida adds a few specific protections. For most improvements over $2,500, a Notice of Commencement is recorded before work starts, and subcontractors and suppliers may send you a Notice to Owner. Ask your contractor for lien releases from those parties as they are paid, so you are not exposed to a lien for money already handed over. Florida contracts over $2,500 should also include the required notice about the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund. If a contractor takes a large deposit, Florida law also sets deadlines for applying for permits and starting work, so ask about the schedule in writing.

Local experience matters too. Ask how many projects they have completed in Lee and Collier counties, whether they know your HOA's approval process and insurance requirements, and how they handle hurricane season on an open job. For older homes in flood zones, ask whether they understand the FEMA 50 percent rule. Condo owners should confirm the contractor has worked with associations and can supply the certificates your building requires. Seasonal owners should ask how they will receive updates while they are out of town.

![Cutting Edge project lead on a Southwest Florida remodeling job site](https://remodelbycuttingedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/General-Contractor-from-Cutting-Edge-Bonita-Springs-3-scaled.webp)General Contractor · Cutting Edge Kitchen & Bath

## Hiring a Contractor Questions

### How do I verify a contractor's license in Florida?
Search the contractor's name or license number on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation website at myfloridalicense.com. It shows whether the license is active, the license type and any public complaints or disciplinary actions.

### How much deposit should a contractor ask for?
Deposits vary by project, but payments should track completed work rather than getting far ahead of it. Florida law sets permit-application and start deadlines for contractors who take larger deposits. Get the full payment schedule in writing and tie later payments to inspections or milestones.

### What is the difference between a general contractor and a remodeler?
A licensed general contractor can pull permits for structural work, coordinate multiple trades and take legal responsibility for code compliance. Some remodelers handle only finish work. For projects that move walls, plumbing or electrical, a licensed general contractor is the safer choice.

Ask Us *Anything.*
Bring your questions to a free consultation and LiDAR scan, then get one fixed price in writing.

[Book a Free Consultation →](/general-contractor-bonita/)[Set an Appointment](/contact/)

## Why Careful Homeowners Hire Cutting Edge
We welcome every question on this list. Cutting Edge Kitchen & Bath is a licensed and insured Florida general contractor based in Bonita Springs, with more than 500 Southwest Florida projects, nine Best of Houzz awards and a 4,000-square-foot showroom at 28280 Old 41 Road. We pull permits in our own name, build with our own crews and put the scope in one fixed-price contract. Every project starts with a free LiDAR scan and photo-real 3D render, so you know exactly what you are buying before you sign, and our answers come in writing.