SUBMITTING BIDS

Stand Out and Have Your Bid Added to the Short List!

Address the checked items on this list with every new proposal and make your bid stand out! The CSLB tells all persons hiring a contractor to ask the following questions to all contractors in order to avoid scams and fraudulent operators.


CSLB urges consumers to follow these items when dealing with a contractor.

  1. Only hire contractors who have an “active” CSLB license, and ask to see the contractor’s plastic pocket license.
  2. Don’t hire the first contractor who comes along
  3. Don’t rush into repairs, no matter how badly you need them
  4. Verify the contractor’s license at www.cslb.ca.gov or 1-800-321-CSLB (2752)
  5. Don’t pay more than 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less, as a down payment
  6. Don’t sign over any insurance checks to a contractor
  7. Don’t pay cash, and don’t let the payments get ahead of the work
  8. Get three bids, check references, and get a written contract
  9. All consumers are urged to contact CSLB if they have a complaint against a contractor or if solicited by someone who isn’t licensed.

Here are some things you can do, as a contractor, to partially address this list (checked boxes) and make your bid stand out!

Have your contractors license number prominent on all of your advertising. This includes any contract proposals.

We also advise that you also print a stack of business cards with your company name contact info and contractor license number.

Put the web address to the CSLB on the back of the card with the following caption and staple one to your proposal.

Always verify that you are working with a contractor in good standing. For verification go to http://www.cslb.ca.gov and select (Instant License check)

By making it easy for any potential clients to effortlessly run your information you are also telling them how to run everybody else’s information as well! It instantly identifies you to be someone who is looking out for their best interests.

Provide a list of preselected references with every bid. If possible use your last 3 projects, This way the client can get feedback about your latest work. As you complete additional projects update the list.

Provide well-written contracts to all clients. If you haven’t already, we recommend that you invest in a quality contract writing software program. A great place to start is the Craftsman Contract Writer, an invaluable and very affordable option. To learn more about this software click here.