What does a general contractor do?

<div>General contractors are the ones that coordinate home construction projects. They are in charge of the day-to-day oversight of the subcontractors to ensure that the project is completed on time and to resolve problems as they arise. General contractors:<ul><li>Complete pre-construction planning, both with the customer and crew</li><li>Provide realistic cost estimates</li><li>Develop construction timelines</li><li>Ensure deadlines are met</li><li>Acquire permits as needed</li><li>Purchase supplies and materials</li></ul></div>

What questions should I ask a general contractor?

<div>Before hiring a general contractor for your home project, it’s a great idea to write down a list of questions to discuss with each prospect. Some example questions to get you started include:<ul><li>Which types of insurance do you carry?</li><li>Can you provide a list of references?</li><li>What is the expected timeline for this project?</li><li>How will my project be supervised?</li><li>Will you hire subcontractors for the job?</li><li>What is the best way to communicate changes?</li><li>Will you obtain all of the required building permits?</li></ul></div>

Should general contractors be certified or licensed?

<div>While city and state laws vary on general contractor licensing requirements, hiring an unlicensed general contractor could lead to poor quality work, costly future expenses, and potential code violations. Be sure to check our <a href="https://www.angi.com/angi-license-check.htm">state licensing tool</a> to review the local general contractor guidelines for your area.As you browse our pro listings, take note of the “Angi Approved” badge. Angi Approved businesses meet our standards for certification which include: <ul><li>The owner, principal, or relevant manager passed a criminal background check</li><li>Required to have applicable state and local licenses</li><li>Maintain an average star rating of 3.0 or better on our network, if they have at least one review</li><li>Paying to advertise their services</li><li>Meeting any other eligibility criteria required by Angi</li></ul>Keep in mind licensing is different from certifications. A license is a legal requirement to operate a business, while certifications are voluntary.</div>

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*The Angi rating for Contractor Service companies in Orange County, CA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Contractor Service needs.

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Last update on August 07, 2025

Reviewed in May 2020
This crew seemed eager to help in the beginning. However, they lacked professionalism throughout the job. 1 They left the worksite dirty and dangerous. They neglected to remove their electric saw from our public laundry area. They left the saw and on top of the washing machine plugged in...
Tri-County Gutters
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Reviewed in October 2014
Claude was very quick to make first contact and came to our home that day to discuss carpentry needs. He was busy with another project so wait time was about 3 weeks to our project start. Once on-site he was efficient, worked non-stop and discussed any issues or questions to assure understanding...
Hardwood Construction
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Reviewed in August 2013
Jason Termite Co. was recommended to us about 10 years ago from a friend. We used to fumigate our house. We contacted him again recently to check for termite damage before we painted our house. We live in an 100 year old craftsman house. Jason's checked all the beams outside and replaced...
JASON TERMITE CO
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Reviewed in July 2013
I wanted a basic kitchen remodel. EZ came out and gave me a detailed assessment for knocking out a wall, installing new appliances and countertops. I was very happy with the price and he assured me that everything would look great. Unfortunately, the job was poorly supervised. I asked if I could...
Green Planet Remodeling
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Reviewed in August 2012
This job involved a series of small repair jobs, some larger than others. I am amazed that Kyle Beym can do so many repair jobs for such a reasonable price, especially when each job is so well done. Kyle is a real craftsman who does superb work whether it is drywall, painting, electrical...
Kyle Beym Home Improvement
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Reviewed in June 2012
This was a great experience. Albert is a craftsman who takes pride in his work. I needed to add shelf units to either side of a closet/storage space in my office. A free-standing unit in the right dimensions was difficult to find. I didn't want to hang wire shelves and iI didn't want to just...
General Custom Woodworking and Remodeling
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Reviewed in May 2007
Jonah said he knew all about carpentry, could plumb a house & repair antiques. But carpentry all showed poor planning: window seat lid can't open completely because it hits sconces on each side; no prop to keep it open; cabinet door/frame around window seat got nice molding trim but not mitered...
EVOKE STUDIO
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