Before you hire

How to avoid contractor scams in Los Angeles.

Home improvement fraud picks up noticeably after storms, fires, and other disasters, when homeowners are dealing with real damage and real urgency — exactly when it’s hardest to slow down and check someone out. None of these signs alone proves a scam, but more than one together is worth taking seriously.

Warning signs

1. They showed up uninvited. Door-to-door solicitation — especially right after a storm, fire, or other disaster in the area — is one of the most common patterns in contractor fraud. A legitimate, busy contractor isn’t canvassing your street for work.
2. They’re pushing you to decide today. “This price is only good if you sign right now” is pressure, not a real discount. A legitimate contractor’s price doesn’t expire by tonight.
3. They want a large deposit, especially in cash. California law caps a contractor’s deposit at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. A request for more — or for cash specifically, which leaves no record — is a serious red flag.
4. They ask you to pull the permit. A licensed contractor pulls their own permits. Being asked to pull it yourself is a common way an unlicensed or uninsured contractor avoids being officially tied to the job — leaving you holding the legal responsibility if something goes wrong.
5. They can’t produce a license number, or it doesn’t check out. Verify any license yourself at cslb.ca.gov before paying anything. It takes under a minute and shows status, bond, and any prior complaints.
6. There’s no real business address, or everything is “we’ll come to you.” A legitimate contractor has a real place of business you could find if you needed to. An out-of-state license plate or an address that doesn’t check out is worth pausing over.
7. The bid is far lower than everyone else’s. An unusually low bid is often a way to win the job, then raise the price later through “unexpected” change orders — or to cut corners that won’t show up until long after they’re gone.
8. They’re pushing you to sign over an insurance check. After storm or fire damage, be especially cautious of anyone pressuring you to sign your insurance payout directly over to them before any work has started, or bundling in a “public adjuster” you didn’t ask for.

If something feels off

Verify the license yourself at cslb.ca.gov or by calling (800) 321-2752 before paying anything. Get a second opinion from someone you trust. And trust your own instinct — pressure to decide immediately, reluctance to put anything in writing, or a price that seems too good to be true are all reasons to slow down, not reasons to feel rude for asking more questions.

See our questions to ask a contractor and our full homeowner safety guide for the complete picture, before, during, and after the job.