What to check at a glance
| Check | Question it should answer |
|---|---|
| Legal identity | Which person or business would sign the construction contract? |
| CSLB license | Does the official record match that identity, and what status and classification does it show? |
| Comparable work | Has the company handled an ADU with a similar type, site and service scope? |
| Recorded role | Was it the General Contractor, designer, permit applicant, specialty trade or another participant? |
| References | How did the company handle scope, changes, communication and closeout? |
| Public reviews | What repeated themes appear, and which claims still need verification? |
| Working team | Who estimates, supervises, communicates and resolves field questions? |
| Current capacity | What must occur before the proposed start date is reliable? |
Five things that change the decision
- The website name may not be the contracting entity. Compare the proposal, contract, license record and payment instructions. Ask about every name that differs.
- An ADU photo does not explain the company’s role. The company may have designed the unit, obtained a permit, performed one trade or acted as General Contractor. Ask for the role in writing.
- “Los Angeles” can mean different jurisdictions. A City of Los Angeles project and a project elsewhere in Los Angeles County may use different agencies and workflows. Confirm where the comparable project was permitted.
- Project count is less useful than project similarity. A detached new-build ADU, garage conversion, attached unit and multifamily conversion present different site and coordination questions.
- The people who sell the project may not run it. Ask who will supervise the work and how the estimate, contract and field team hand off information.
How to evaluate the evidence
Use each source for the narrow fact it can support. Do not combine several weak signals into a certainty they do not establish.
| Evidence | It may support | It does not prove by itself |
|---|---|---|
| CSLB license record | License identity, status, classification and other fields shown in the official record. | Quality, ADU specialization, current capacity or future performance. |
| Permit or inspection record | Recorded permit details, status and named participants where available. | The full scope performed, contract relationship or homeowner satisfaction. |
| Portfolio photos | Design or finish examples the company associates with its work. | Authorship, permit status, budget or the company’s exact role. |
| Reference conversation | One customer’s experience with a particular team and project. | How every project will perform. |
| Public reviews | Reported patterns in communication, process or outcomes. | Verified facts about every dispute or guaranteed future service. |
CSLB’s license search is the official starting point for matching a business or individual to a license record. Seeing a license number in an advertisement is not the same as checking its current record.
Use references and reviews for different purposes
Ask references about the process
With permission, speak to homeowners whose projects resemble yours. Ask whether the drawings and scope were clear before signing, how changes were priced, who communicated during construction, whether the schedule assumptions were explained and what remained at the final walkthrough.
Ask what the homeowner would clarify earlier if doing the project again. That usually produces more useful information than a simple “Would you recommend them?” Do not visit a project address or contact an occupant without permission.
Read reviews as patterns, not verdicts
Keep Google, Yelp and other platforms separate. Note the review dates, project types and repeated themes. A complaint about slow design communication and a complaint about construction workmanship describe different responsibilities; first establish which company performed which service.
If a review alleges a serious problem, look for a response and supporting context, but do not publish the allegation as confirmed fact without reliable evidence. A high average rating also does not substitute for license, scope and reference checks.
Meet the working arrangement behind the proposal
Ask who prepared the estimate, who would sign the agreement, who would supervise the job and who would answer routine questions. If design and construction come from separate companies, ask how drawing questions and changes move between them.
| Role | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Sales or estimator | Which statements will be incorporated into the written proposal? |
| Designer or engineer | Who retains them, and what revisions or construction questions are included? |
| General Contractor | Which entity holds the contract and coordinates the work? |
| Superintendent or project manager | How often will that person be present and communicate? |
| Specialty trades | How are licensed subcontractors selected and coordinated? |
Common warning signs
- The proposal does not show a license number or the number does not match the contracting identity.
- The company will not explain its role in projects used as examples.
- References are unrelated to the proposed ADU type or are not available with permission.
- The salesperson pressures you to decide before you can compare bids or check records.
- Important services are described as “handled” without naming the responsible company.
- A proposed start date ignores design, permit or prerequisite work.
- Oral promises are treated as substitutes for the written scope.
A warning sign calls for clarification or additional evidence. It is not, by itself, a finding that a company acted improperly.
What this research cannot tell you
Public information cannot predict workmanship, schedule performance or the final relationship on your project. Permit databases may omit roles or use names that require careful matching. Reviews may be incomplete, unverified or influenced by circumstances not visible to readers.
PrepareToBuild.info does not choose or recommend a Contractor. The purpose of the research is to identify what is supported, what is claimed and what still needs an answer before you decide whom to contact or hire.
What to do next
- Save the exact business name and license number from the proposal.
- Check the current license record directly with CSLB.
- Ask for two or three comparable projects and the company’s role in each.
- Review available permit information without treating it as a quality score.
- Speak with references and read public-review patterns separately by platform.
- Meet the proposed working team and clarify the service handoffs.
- Compare the bid and written scope before making the selection.
Research ADU Contractors or continue to the Los Angeles ADU bid comparison guide.
Questions, answered
Does an active CSLB license prove an ADU Contractor is a good fit?
No. License status is an essential identity and eligibility check, but it does not prove experience with your ADU type, communication quality, current capacity or future performance.
Link to this answerDo Los Angeles permit records prove construction quality?
No. A permit record may support facts such as an address, permit type, status or named participant. It does not by itself establish the Contractor’s complete role, workmanship or homeowner satisfaction.
Link to this answerAre Google and Yelp reviews enough to select an ADU Contractor?
No. Reviews can reveal patterns and questions to ask, but should be read separately by source and checked alongside official license records, comparable projects, references and the proposed agreement.
Link to this answerOfficial sources
Official references checked on . Source limits are part of the research: a record is used only for the facts it actually shows.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| CSLB: Check a license | Official license and Home Improvement Salesperson lookup. |
| CSLB: Finding the right licensed Contractor | License verification, multiple written bids, references and local building-department research. |
| LADBS: Permit and inspection information | City of Los Angeles access point for permit and inspection status information; availability and fields vary by record. |
Prepared for PrepareToBuild.info as an editorial draft, assisted by AI. Not yet reviewed by a licensed construction or legal professional. Contractor records change; recheck primary sources before hiring. This guide does not endorse a company or predict project performance.