Hiring the wrong contractor is one of the most costly mistakes a homeowner or property owner can make. In Georgia, complaints about unlicensed contractors, abandoned projects, and shoddy workmanship are among the most common consumer complaints filed with the state each year. The good news is that the right questions — asked before you sign anything — can protect your home, your investment, and your peace of mind.
Whether you’re renovating a kitchen in Johns Creek, adding a bathroom in Sandy Springs, or managing a commercial buildout in Midtown Atlanta, knowing how to hire a contractor in Georgia is essential knowledge. This guide covers the five most important questions to ask, what the right answers sound like, and the red flags that should make you walk away.
Why It Matters More in Georgia
Georgia has specific licensing requirements for contractors, but enforcement can be inconsistent — and not all construction work requires the same level of licensure. General contractors performing work above certain thresholds must be licensed by the Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. Specialty trades including electrical, plumbing, and HVAC have their own licensing requirements.
The problem is that many homeowners simply don’t know what questions to ask — or they feel awkward asking them. They accept a contractor’s word at face value or skip due diligence because the price looks good. This is precisely how good intentions lead to expensive outcomes.
The Aimer Group’s philosophy: We believe a homeowner who asks hard questions is a homeowner we want to work with. Transparency is the foundation of every project we take on. A contractor who discourages your questions is a contractor worth questioning.
Question 01 of 05
Are You Licensed and Insured in Georgia — and Can You Prove It?
This is the single most important question you can ask, and you should always ask for documentation rather than simply taking someone’s word for it. In Georgia, residential contractors performing work over $2,500 must hold a valid license from the Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. You can verify any Georgia contractor license at verify.sos.ga.gov.
Beyond licensing, a legitimate contractor should carry two types of insurance. General liability insurance protects your property if something is damaged during the project. Workers’ compensation insurance protects you — not just the contractor’s workers — if a worker is injured on your property. Without workers’ comp, an injured worker could potentially file a claim against your homeowner’s insurance or seek compensation directly from you.
Ask for the actual certificate of insurance, not just a verbal assurance. The certificate should list your name and address as the certificate holder for the duration of the project. Call the insurance company directly to verify the policy is active if you want absolute certainty.
What a good answer sounds like“Absolutely — here’s my Georgia contractor license number and here’s my current certificate of insurance. My carrier is [X], and I can have them add you as a certificate holder today.”
Red FlagAny hesitation, vague claims about being “covered,” offers to show you documents later, or an explanation that insurance is “too expensive for small projects.” Walk away.
Question 02 of 05
Will You Pull the Required Permits — and Who Is Responsible for That?
Permits exist to protect homeowners. When a licensed contractor pulls a permit for your project, it triggers inspections by local code officials who verify the work meets Georgia’s building codes. This matters enormously — not just for safety during construction, but for your home’s value, insurability, and your ability to sell it in the future.
In Atlanta and its surrounding jurisdictions — Fulton County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, and others — permits are required for a wide range of renovation work including structural changes, electrical upgrades, plumbing modifications, roofing, HVAC replacement, and additions. A contractor who says “we don’t need a permit for this” for work that clearly requires one is either uninformed or hoping you won’t know the difference.
Unpermitted work creates serious problems down the road. When you go to sell your home, a buyer’s inspector may flag unpermitted work. The buyer may require you to bring the work up to code — which sometimes means tearing out finished walls — before closing. Title companies and mortgage lenders take unpermitted work seriously.
The permit should always be pulled in the contractor’s name, not yours. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit as the homeowner, they are likely doing so because they cannot pull it themselves — which could mean they are unlicensed or have a suspended license.
What a good answer sounds like“We handle all permitting. I’ll pull the permit in our company name before any work begins. We schedule all required inspections and make sure everything passes before we close out the project.”
Red Flag“We don’t need a permit for this” when the scope clearly requires one, or asking you to pull the permit as the homeowner.
Question 03 of 05
Can You Provide References From Recent, Similar Projects?
Talking to previous clients is one of the most valuable steps in the hiring process — and one of the most frequently skipped. A reputable contractor will readily provide a list of recent clients you can contact directly. Not a list of names on a website, but actual phone numbers of real homeowners in Georgia who have had similar work done within the past 12 to 24 months.
When you contact those references, ask specific questions. Did the contractor show up on time and maintain a predictable schedule? Did the final cost match the original estimate, or were there significant change orders? Were there any warranty issues after completion, and how did the contractor handle them? Would you hire them again — and have you referred them to friends or family?
You should also look at online reviews, but treat them as a supplement to direct references rather than a substitute. Google reviews, Houzz, and the Better Business Bureau are useful for getting a broad picture, but a contractor with 50 five-star reviews and zero willingness to provide direct references is still a contractor worth scrutinizing.
For government, commercial, or larger residential projects, ask to see a portfolio of completed work. Walk-through visits to completed projects can be arranged in some cases and are an excellent way to assess quality firsthand.
What a good answer sounds like“Of course — I have several clients from projects we completed this year who are happy to take a call. Here’s a list. Feel free to contact any of them.”
Red FlagReluctance to provide references, offering only testimonials on their own website, or stating that past clients prefer not to be contacted. A contractor with satisfied clients has no reason to hesitate here.
Question 04 of 05
What Does Your Contract Say — and What Are Your Payment Terms?
In Georgia, any home improvement contract over $1,000 should be in writing. A legitimate, professional contractor will provide a detailed written contract that covers the full scope of work, materials to be used, project timeline, payment schedule, warranty terms, and how change orders are handled. If a contractor is reluctant to provide a written contract or presents something vague and one-sided, that is a serious warning sign.
Pay close attention to the payment structure. The most important rule: never pay more than 10% to 30% upfront for any residential project. A legitimate contractor with an established business and good credit does not need a large upfront payment to begin work. Contractors who demand 50% or more before lifting a finger are either poorly capitalized, potentially dishonest, or both.
The safest payment structure for homeowners is milestone-based — meaning payments are released as specific phases of work are completed and verified. For example: 20% at mobilization, 25% at rough-in completion, 25% at cabinet and countertop installation, 20% at substantial completion, and 10% at final punch-list sign-off. This structure protects you and gives the contractor clear incentives to perform.
Also verify how change orders are handled. Scope changes happen in renovation projects — sometimes they are unavoidable. The contract should specify that any change order is documented in writing, priced, and signed by both parties before the additional work begins. A contractor who adds charges verbally or after the fact, without written authorization, is creating a situation ripe for dispute.
What a good answer sounds like“Here’s our standard contract — it covers everything: scope, timeline, materials, change order process, payment schedule, and our workmanship warranty. I’ll walk you through it.”
Red FlagRequests for large cash payments upfront, no written contract, or a contract that is vague about scope and pricing. Also be cautious of contractors who pressure you to sign the same day you receive their proposal.
Question 05 of 05
Who Will Actually Be Doing the Work — and How Do You Manage Subcontractors?
This question catches many homeowners off guard because they assume the contractor they hire is the one who shows up to do the work. In reality, most general contractors — including legitimate and highly qualified ones — use subcontractors for specialty trades like electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and tile work. This is completely normal and not a problem in itself.
What matters is how the contractor manages those subcontractors. Are they licensed and insured as well? Does the general contractor take responsibility for their work quality and verify their credentials? Will the same project manager oversee the entire job, or will you be left coordinating trades on your own? Will there be consistent supervision on the job site each day?
You should also understand what percentage of the project will be self-performed versus subcontracted, and whether any portions of the project will be assigned to yet another company without your knowledge. Some contractors, particularly those who win low bids by cutting corners, sub out the entire job to the cheapest available crew and function only as paper middlemen. This creates accountability gaps that often show up as quality problems.
Ask for the names of any subcontractors who will work on your project and verify their licenses independently. A trustworthy general contractor will welcome this question and have quick, confident answers ready.
What a good answer sounds like“Our core team handles the carpentry and project management in-house. We use trusted, licensed subs for plumbing and electrical who we’ve worked with for years. I can give you their license numbers. Our project manager is on-site every day.”
Red FlagVague answers about who will be on-site, resistance to identifying subcontractors, or a general contractor who plans to hand off the entire project and not maintain day-to-day oversight.
Bonus: Additional Red Flags to Watch For
Beyond the five core questions, experienced Georgia homeowners have learned to watch for these warning signs when evaluating contractors.
- The contractor arrives unsolicited at your door — often following a recent storm — offering urgent, discounted work. This is a common pattern among roofing and storm damage scammers operating throughout Georgia.
- The lowest bid is dramatically lower than all other bids you received. If one estimate is $35,000 and two others are $55,000, ask serious questions about what the low bidder is leaving out or cutting.
- The contractor has a very new business with no established track record, no physical business address, and only a cell phone number.
- You are asked to write checks payable to an individual name rather than a company name.
- The contractor discourages you from calling their insurance company, verifying their license, or contacting past clients.
- There are unexplained delays in starting work after payment is made, or the contractor repeatedly promises to show up but doesn’t.
- The contractor pushes you to waive your right to a mechanic’s lien waiver at final payment.
Georgia Homeowner Resources
Georgia homeowners have access to several official resources for verifying contractors and filing complaints if needed.
The Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors maintains a public database of licensed contractors at sos.ga.gov. You can search by name, company name, or license number to verify that a contractor holds a valid, current license and has no disciplinary history.
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection accepts complaints about contractors and can investigate fraudulent or deceptive practices. If you’ve been victimized by an unlicensed or dishonest contractor, filing a complaint is an important step.
The Better Business Bureau of Metro Atlanta maintains accreditation records and complaint histories for local businesses. BBB Accreditation requires contractors to meet standards for licensing, insurance, complaint handling, and business practices.
Choosing the Right Contractor Is an Investment
The right contractor in Georgia isn’t always the cheapest one. It’s the one who is licensed, insured, experienced, communicative, and committed to standing behind their work. The due diligence you do before signing a contract is the single highest-leverage action you can take to protect your renovation investment.
At The Aimer Group, we welcome every one of these questions because we have straightforward answers to all of them. We are a BBB-accredited, fully licensed and insured general contractor with over 18 years of experience serving homeowners and businesses across Atlanta and nationwide. We pull all required permits, use vetted licensed subcontractors, and operate with complete transparency at every stage of every project.
If you’re planning a renovation in Atlanta, Buckhead, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs, or Marietta, we’d be glad to earn your trust — one answered question at a time.
Work With a Contractor You Can Trust
The Aimer Group is BBB Accredited, fully licensed in Georgia, and has served Atlanta homeowners and businesses for over 18 years. Ask us anything.Get a Free Consultation
5 Questions to Ask
- Licensed & Insured?
- Will You Pull Permits?
- References?
- What’s in the Contract?
- Who Does the Work?
- Bonus Red Flags
- Georgia Resources
Ready to Hire a Contractor You Can Trust in Georgia?
The Aimer Group is fully licensed, BBB Accredited, and has delivered reliable construction services across Atlanta and nationwide for over 18 years. Schedule Your Free Consultation
