Every year, especially after a busy storm season, our phone rings with some version of the same story: a homeowner in Hudson or Holiday paid a deposit to a “contractor” who did half the work, did it badly, or vanished entirely.
We hate these calls. The damage is usually uninsured, the money is usually gone, and fixing bad work costs more than doing it right the first time would have.
So here is the guide we wish every Tampa Bay homeowner had. It takes two minutes to protect yourself, and it starts with one website.
First: Verify the License (It Takes 2 Minutes)
Every legitimate general contractor in Florida holds a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Go to myfloridalicense.com, click “Verify a License,” and search the name or license number.
You are looking for:
- An active license in the right category. “CGC” means Certified General Contractor, licensed for any construction work statewide. Ours is CGC062632, and we encourage every client to look it up.
- The license matches the person you are dealing with. A common scam is borrowing someone else’s license number. The name on the license should match the company on your contract.
- Complaint and discipline history. It is right there on the same site.
An occupational license or LLC registration is not a contractor’s license. “Licensed and insured” on a truck door means nothing until you have checked the database.
The 7 Red Flags
1. A big cash deposit up front
Florida law has strict rules about deposits, and reputable contractors have accounts with their suppliers. Demands for 50% cash before any work starts is the single most common thread in the horror stories.
2. No written contract, or a one-paragraph “contract”
A real remodeling contract specifies the scope, the materials, the payment schedule tied to progress, and how changes get priced. If it fits on an index card, walk away.
3. “We don’t need a permit for this”
You now know better. Moving walls, plumbing, or electrical in Pasco County requires permits. A contractor who volunteers to skip permits is saving himself accountability, not saving you money. Our permit guide explains what that shortcut costs you later.
4. They knocked on your door after a storm
Legitimate contractors are booked after hurricanes, not canvassing neighborhoods. Out-of-state trucks and high-pressure “sign today” offers after a storm are the classic setup for Florida’s most common contractor fraud.
5. No proof of insurance
Ask for certificates of general liability and workers’ compensation, sent directly from their insurance agent. If an uninsured worker gets hurt on your property, you can be the one paying for it.
6. The price is dramatically lower than everyone else’s
Materials cost what they cost, and skilled labor does too. A bid 40% under the others is missing something: permits, insurance, scope, or the intention to finish the job.
7. They cannot show you completed local work
Ask for addresses and past clients in the area. Around here, a real remodeler has kitchens in Trinity, bathrooms in New Port Richey, and additions in Spring Hill they are proud to show you, plus reviews attached to a real business with a real history.
Why This Matters More in Florida
Unlicensed contracting is a crime in Florida, but enforcement cannot keep up, especially in the months after a hurricane when demand spikes and desperation makes homeowners less careful. Worse, if you hire an unlicensed contractor, Florida law gives you very little protection, and your homeowners insurance may not cover damage related to their work.
What Working With a Licensed GC Looks Like
For contrast, here is the boring, wonderful reality of a properly run project: a detailed written contract, permits pulled in the company’s name, scheduled inspections that pass, insurance certificates on file, progress payments tied to completed work, and a final walkthrough with a closed-out permit.
That is how Team Farrell has operated across Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough counties since 2000. Verify us first at myfloridalicense.com (CGC062632), read our reviews, then contact us or call (727) 845-8326. We are happy to earn the job after you have done your homework, because homeowners who check are exactly the clients we want.
