How to Check a Contractor's References & Reviews

References and reviews answer different questions

Before you hand a contractor a deposit, you want two kinds of proof: what real past clients say when you talk to them, and what the broader record shows. References and reviews are not the same tool. A review is quick and public but easy to fake or curate. A reference call is where you ask pointed questions and hear the pauses that never make it online.

Use both, in order: reviews as the first filter, reference calls as the real interview, and the license check as the backstop. Here is how to do each one well.

Start by asking for references

Ask the contractor for three to five past clients they did similar work for.³ Similar matters: a glowing reference for a deck tells you little about a walk-in shower conversion.

Ask for a mix of recent jobs and ones that are a year or two old. Time is the real test. A job that looked perfect on the last day but cracked, leaked, or peeled six months later is exactly what an older reference will reveal. And notice the ask itself: a contractor who cannot produce a few relevant references, or who gets cagey, has answered your biggest question before you dial a single number.

The questions that actually reveal something

On the call, ask open-ended questions that get people talking, not yes-or-no ones. The answers that matter:

• Did the project finish on time and on budget?
• How were change orders and surprises handled? Were there major cost jumps?
• Did the contractor return calls and keep you updated?
• Did they pull the permits and handle the paperwork?³
• When a problem came up, did they take responsibility and fix it quickly?
• Would you hire them again, and could I come see the work?

That last question does double duty. Seeing a finished job in person, when the reference is local and willing, tells you more than any star rating. And “would you hire them again” is the one people answer honestly even when they are being polite about everything else.

Read online reviews with a skeptical eye

Reviews are useful as a first pass, but only if you read them the right way.

• Look across several sites, not just the contractor’s own page, where only the flattering ones may survive.
• Watch for patterns, not single reviews. One angry review among fifty calm ones means little; a recurring complaint about missed deadlines means a lot.
• Notice how the contractor responds to negative reviews. A calm, specific reply is a better sign than a defensive or absent one.

How to spot a fake review

Fake reviews are common enough that the government stepped in. As of October 21, 2024, the FTC’s rule bans fake and AI-generated reviews, paid or incentivized reviews, and the practice of hiding negative reviews.² That does not mean they have vanished, so learn the tells:

• A burst of five-star reviews posted within a short window
• Generic praise with no specific details about the actual work
• Reviews from accounts that have reviewed nothing else
• Wording that sounds artificial or oddly repetitive
• Cross-platform mismatch, where a company is flawless on one site and troubled on another

Cross-check the official record

References and reviews are what people say. The official record is what is documented. Check all three:

• Your state contractor licensing board, for whether the license is active, what it covers, and any complaints or discipline on file. Our state license lookup links the official board for every state.
• The Better Business Bureau, for the rating and any unresolved complaints.
• A plain web search of the company name with words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review,” which often surfaces trouble that never reached a board.

The FTC specifically recommends verifying licenses and insurance and checking complaint histories before you hire.¹

Red flags that override any glowing reference

Some warning signs cancel out a five-star page entirely. The FTC flags these as classic home-improvement scam patterns.¹

If someone came knocking, slow everything down

Door-to-door pitches and “we noticed your roof from the street” offers target older homeowners on purpose, and they rely on speed. The antidote is boring and it works: never sign or pay on the spot, get the person’s business name and license number, and tell them you will call back after you check references and the license. A real contractor will hand you that information without a fuss. Loop in a family member to make the reference calls with you, and treat any push to “decide today” as the answer itself. This pairs with our guide to contractor red flags.

Key takeaways

• Ask for three to five relevant references and actually call them with open-ended questions.
• “Would you hire them again” and “can I see the work” reveal the most.
• Read reviews across multiple sites and screen for the fakes the FTC now bans.
• Verify the license and complaint history, and walk away from any big-deposit, high-pressure, or door-knocking pitch.

What’s next

• Decide who you even need with handyman vs. licensed contractor.
• Confirm the license on the state license lookup.
• Compare fairly using the three-quote method.
• Lock the terms down with contract clauses to watch.

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Reviewed by John Smith, CAPS, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Licensing and complaint procedures vary by state, so confirm the specifics with your state contractor licensing board.