Who is actually doing the work
Ask which trades are handled by the company's own crew and which are subcontracted. Neither answer is automatically wrong, but it changes who is accountable for which part of the job.
Does the license in front of you match the one on file
California's licensing board recommends comparing a pocket license against a photo ID when a bidder first shows up at your door, confirming the credential and the person are actually the same.[1]
Who pulls the permit
A contractor asking the homeowner to pull their own permit is treated as a warning sign by Washington's Department of Labor & Industries, not standard procedure.[2]
What the contract actually says about payment
A written contract's minimum contents, per Washington's own guidance, include the price with tax, the payment terms and completion date, permit fees, the specific work, materials, subcontractors, and how warranties and changes get handled.[2]
What happens when something changes mid-project
Every change should be documented in writing before the work happens, never agreed to verbally and sorted out later at final payment.[3]
What the warranty actually covers
Ask for the workmanship warranty in writing, separate from whatever a fixture manufacturer offers on its own product. Our warranty guide below covers why that distinction matters.
How long has this specific license actually been active
A company can rebrand or change ownership while its underlying license carries a much shorter, or much longer, history than the name on the van suggests. Ask directly, and compare the answer against the state record.
What happens if you are not satisfied partway through
A clear answer about stopping or renegotiating mid-project, offered before you ever need one, says more about a company than any answer given only after a dispute has already started between you.
Can I see a similar finished job
A company confident in its own work is usually willing to point to a comparable finished bathroom, in person or in detailed photos, not just a generic stock gallery sitting on a website.
What happens if the inspector flags something
Ask who is responsible for correcting failed inspection items and whether that work is covered under the original price or billed separately as an extra. The answer belongs in the written contract itself, not something discovered after the fact once an inspector has already flagged a problem.
How do you handle a surprise behind the wall
Old plumbing, hidden water damage or outdated wiring turn up often enough in a bathroom remodel that a company's answer to this question is worth hearing clearly before demolition starts, not partway through it.