The Homeowner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Contractor

By Kambiz Kamdar

Even though I’ve touched on this topic in earlier newsletters, I want to go deeper because I’ve spoken with several homeowners who are currently interviewing contractors—or already working with one—and some of the same concerns keep coming up. So let me be absolutely clear:

The only person who can truly vet a contractor is you.

It doesn’t matter if your architect recommended them, if you see their signs around the Palisades, or if your friends are using them. Those are helpful starting points, but they are not vetting. You still need to go through the full process of asking the right questions, checking references, and confirming their qualifications.

Here are the minimum questions every homeowner should be asking:

• What projects are you currently working on?
  This helps you understand their current workload, timeline capacity, and whether they are stretched too thin.
• What projects have you completed recently?
  Ask for addresses, homeowners’ names, and permission to contact them. A reputable contractor will never hesitate.
• How many employees do you have?
  A one-person operation is very different from a contractor with a staffed team. Know who will be on your job every day.
• Do you self-perform any trades?
  If not, ask: How many subcontractor bids do you obtain per trade?
  This matters for pricing transparency and for understanding whether they have long-term relationships with subs or are shopping bids.
• Whose license are you using?
  Are they the Responsible Managing Employee (RME) or the Responsible Managing Officer (RMO)?
  Too many people doing business as “contractors” are actually operating under someone else’s license. You deserve to know exactly who holds the responsibility for your project.

At the moment, you’re seeing a lot of builder alliances, coalitions, and groups holding town halls and webinars. Some are legitimate efforts to support the community; some are simply lead-generation tools. Either way, the responsibility falls on you to verify who you are hiring.

And this part is important:

Do not rely on social media posts, influencers, or recognizable Palisades personalities vouching for a contractor or group.
Their endorsement—no matter how well intentioned—is not a substitute for your due diligence.

Even within the Palisades Builders Coalition, which I helped co-found and which is filled with people I respect, I would never claim to have personally vetted every contractor. They are good people, many of whom have become close friends through this rebuild process. But if I refer one of them to you, I still want you to go through the exact same vetting process:
Check their references, ask your questions, verify their license, and make sure they are the right fit for you and your home.

This is the biggest investment most families will make in their lifetime. You deserve a builder who has the qualifications, ethics, communication skills, staffing, and track record to rebuild your home the right way.