Contractor Vetting in georgia
Hire with confidence.
A new build, an addition or a major repair can mean tens of thousands of dollars on the line. Our contractor background checks look into a contractor’s business before you sign: whether they’re licensed, insured and in good standing, and whether past customers have taken them to court.
Who it’s for: homeowners, cabin and second-home owners, property managers, and anyone about to sign a construction contract.
What we check
- Georgia license: status with the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, including any discipline
- Business record: registration, how long they've operated, the people behind the company and any past business names
- Insurance & bonding: liability and workers' comp coverage, confirmed directly with the insurer
- Lawsuits & judgments: civil cases, judgments and liens filed against the business
- Liens on past jobs: materialmen's and subcontractor liens that suggest unpaid suppliers
- Complaints & reputation: consumer complaints, reviews and online history
- Permit history: permits pulled on past projects, where the county makes them available
- Social media check: social media check: public posts and red flags, customer complaints and how they represent their business
- Financial red flags: bankruptcies, tax liens, judgments and UCC filings that may signal a contractor is in financial trouble
- Inspection history: building inspection results on past permits, including failed inspections, re-inspections and permits never closed out
- References: we contact the past customers and suppliers the contractor provides, and conduct interviews when possible
Red flags we look for
Unlicensed work
Contractors working above the dollar limit that requires a Georgia license, or under someone else’s license.
Name changes
A new company name that follows lawsuits or complaints under an old one.
Unpaid suppliers
Liens from subcontractors and suppliers on past jobs, a sign they may not get paid on yours.
How it works
Tell us who
Send the contractor’s name, company and any quote you’ve received.
Research
Licensing, court, lien and business records, cross-checked against each other.
Verify
We confirm insurance directly with the carrier, not from a certificate alone.
Report
A report with what checks out, what doesn’t, and questions to ask. 10-14 day turnaround.
Choose your level of vetting
Quick Check
The essentials. For smaller jobs or when you just need to know a contractor is legitimate.
- Georgia license status and discipline
- Business record and past business names
- Insurance confirmed directly with the carrier
- Lawsuits, judgments and liens
- Complaints and reputation
- Short written summary
Full Vetting
Everything we check, for new builds, additions and any job with a large deposit.
- Everything in the Quick Check
- Permit history with past job addresses
- Inspection history on past permits
- Financial red flags: bankruptcies, tax liens, UCC filings
- Reference calls checked against the permit record
- Social media review
- Full written report with sources and questions to ask
- Past-job drive-by: street-view photos of the contractor's completed work
- Interviews: we interview past clients and dive into how their experience was with the contractor
- Rush turnaround: for deadlines and signing dates
Every check is quoted in writing before work begins. Not sure which you need? Tell us about the project and we’ll recommend one.
is your contractor trustworthy?
Contractor vetting reviews business records, licensing, insurance and court filings. They are not a construction inspection, legal review of your contract, or personal background report on an individual. Southern Charm Investigations is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.