A construction insider working for the homeowner, not the contractor.
Free Checklist for California Homeowners

Don't hire a contractor until you've read these 10 things.

Before you sign anything, know exactly what a good contractor should put in writing - and what a bad one is counting on you to miss.

  • ✓ Spot a problem contractor before you ever sign
  • ✓ Know the legal caps on deposits and payments in California
  • ✓ See the costs bids leave out - and get them in writing
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The most valuable ten minutes you'll spend on your whole project. Ten quick checks that protect a $30K to $500K+ build, before you sign a thing.
What's inside

The checks most homeowners skip

Ten quick moves that separate a smooth build from an expensive one. Here are five of them.

01

Verify the license in 60 seconds

Where to look, what "active" really means, and the one question that flushes out a problem contractor immediately.

03

The deposit the law won't let them take

California caps what a contractor can ask upfront. Know the number before you sign anything.

05

What's NOT in the bid

The five costs that are almost never included - and the exact question that gets them in writing.

07

Tie every payment to real work

The milestone schedule that keeps your money as leverage instead of a gift.

08

Change orders in writing, always

The one sentence to say up front that stops a project from quietly running 30% over.

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...and 5 more

Insurance you verify yourself, permits that protect you at resale, and the local-experience question that saves weeks.

Who this is for

If you're about to spend real money on your home

This is for California homeowners planning a serious project who want to walk into their first contractor meeting already knowing what to look for.

  • Planning a bathroom, kitchen, ADU, or full remodel
  • Budgets from $30K to $500K+
  • Getting bids and not sure how to compare them
  • Want a straight read before you sign, not after
Whose side this is on

If the whole process feels built to keep you in the dark

You're not imagining how hard it can be to get a straight answer. A lot of the guidance out there comes from people who only get paid when you buy, so it is tough to know whose interests it really serves. Plenty of contractors do excellent work - this is not about them. It is about having someone in your corner who answers to you, so the only side it is on is yours.

Tom Ron Furman, founder of Build Advisor CA

"I spent years on job sites watching homeowners overpay for work they didn't fully understand - not because they were careless, but because no one ever showed them what to look for. The contractor knows the game. The homeowner is guessing. This checklist is the head start I wish every homeowner had before they signed anything. It's free, because the whole point is that you walk in informed."

Tom Ron FurmanFounder, Build Advisor CA
IndependentI work for you, not for any contractor
Both sidesField experience on the homeowner and the industry side of the contract
California-builtMade around California contracts, permits, and law
Go deeper on your project

Guides for the exact project you're planning

The checklist covers the universal ten. When you're ready to price and plan your specific job, each guide goes deep: real California cost ranges with material and labor split out, the permits and code that apply, what gets left out of the bid, and the questions to ask before you sign.

The California ADU Guide
The California ADU Guide
Costs and timelines by ADU type, plus the 2026 fee and owner-occupancy law changes.
 The Kitchen Remodel Guide
The Kitchen Remodel Guide
Where to splurge and where to save, countertop material vs labor, and the layout choices that blow budgets.
 The Bathroom Remodel Guide
The Bathroom Remodel Guide
Waterproofing and code, tile material vs labor, and the scope questions that keep timelines honest.
 The Full Remodel Survival Guide
The Full Remodel Survival Guide
How to sequence a whole-home project, phase your payments, and dodge the change-order spiral.
When you're ready for more

Beyond the checklist

The checklist gets you started. When your project gets real, here is how I can help you go deeper.

Project Guides
Planning an ADU, kitchen, bathroom, or full remodel? Each guide goes deep on your specific project: real California cost ranges with material and labor split out, the permits and code that apply, what usually gets left out of the bid, and the exact questions to ask before you sign.
See the guides →
30-Minute Advisory Call
Talk through your specific project one-on-one before you commit to anything.
Talk it through →
Vetted Contractor Match
Get introduced to vetted California contractors. Small deposit, credited back to your project.
Ready to build →
Get your copy

Ten minutes now can save you thousands later.

Walk into your first contractor meeting already knowing what to check, what to ask, and what to never sign. It's free - the only cost is the ten minutes it takes to read.

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