Beyond license and insurance, ask for references from projects two or three years old rather than recent ones, because that’s where you learn whether the work held up and whether they came back for warranty items. Ask who the project manager is and whether that person is on site daily. Also check that the contractor’s bond is current with the state. We ended up with Bellevue Home Remodeling after doing exactly that, and the older references were the deciding factor. Payment schedule matters too, anyone asking for a large percentage upfront before materials are ordered is a warning sign.
