Our Network
350 evaluated. 1 in 10 pass. Fewer than 30 in the network.
We've evaluated 350 Bay Area contractors. About 1 in 10 pass all 10 of our checks, which leaves fewer than 30 active in the network today. Every one of them cleared every gate: on paper, in public records, and in person inside a home they finished.
Part of the vetting never shows up on a document. We go to a general contractor's active job sites and ask the subs working there whether they get paid on time. A GC who can't pay his subs will have those subs stop showing up, and your timeline collapses. That one conversation tells us more than any certificate does. NBC Bay Area and ABC7 have both covered how we vet.
What we verify
Each check is a hard gate, not a guideline. A contractor who fails any one of them doesn't enter the network. There are no waivers.
- 01
License & insurance
CSLB number is active and current. General liability and workers comp policies on file, expiration tracked in our system.
- 02
Lawsuit history
Public court records pulled across CA Superior Court systems. Active or unresolved suits are an automatic disqualification.
- 03
Homeowner references
Three or more prior clients spoken to directly by our team. We ask the questions homeowners forget to ask: schedule slip, change-order history, communication during framing surprises.
- 04
Years in business
Five or more years operating under the same legal entity. New entities opened to escape a bad track record show up here.
- 05
Project history
Twenty or more completed projects with photo evidence we have reviewed. Anyone can put together a good highlight reel. We are looking for the same quality across all twenty.
- 06
Bonding & worker’s comp
Surety bond verified active. We confirm current workers comp coverage with the carrier directly, because a lapsed policy still looks fine on a certificate the contractor hands us.
- 07
BBB rating & complaints
A or A+ Better Business Bureau rating, full complaint history reviewed. Patterns matter more than a single resolved dispute.
- 08
Background check
Owner and key employees screened through a third-party background service. Felony convictions, fraud cases, or unresolved liens disqualify.
- 09
In-person site inspection
We visit a recent project before approval, in person, with the homeowner. Workmanship is hard to fake when you can run a hand along the trim.
- 10
Permits & final inspections
Recent projects pulled the required permits and passed final inspection with the local building department. A finished room can look perfect and still have no permit behind it, so we check the paper trail. Unpermitted work is a disqualification.
What this means for you
When a Renovation Bridge matchmaker introduces you to a contractor, you're not meeting a stranger from a directory. You're meeting someone our team has already qualified across ten independent measures: on paper, in public records, in person inside one of their finished homes, and right down to the permits their projects pulled.
- •Free for homeowners. Always.
- •Three years of project support. If anything comes up after the build, you call us and we get your contractor back on the phone.
- •Hand-matched to your project. We send you a short list, not a flood of bids.
Questions homeowners ask about our vetting
The short version is at the top of this page. Here are the answers we give on the phone.
How selective is Renovation Bridge’s contractor vetting?
About 1 in 10 contractors pass. We’ve evaluated 350 Bay Area contractors, and fewer than 30 are active in the network today. All 10 checks are hard gates, so a contractor who fails any one of them doesn’t get in.
Is the vetting real, or is it just marketing?
The part that’s hardest to fake is the part we do in person. We go to a general contractor’s active job sites and ask the subs working there whether they get paid on time, because a GC who can’t pay his subs will have those subs stop showing up and your timeline collapses. We also visit a finished project before approval, pull public court records, and confirm workers comp coverage with the carrier rather than trusting the certificate a contractor hands us. NBC Bay Area and ABC7 have both covered how we do it.
How many contractors are in the Renovation Bridge network?
Fewer than 30 are active today. We’ve evaluated 350 Bay Area contractors and about 1 in 10 pass all 10 checks. That small group is where your shortlist comes from.
What does Renovation Bridge check before approving a contractor?
Ten things, and every one is a hard gate. An active CSLB license with current general liability and workers comp on file. Public lawsuit history. Three or more prior homeowners our team speaks to directly. Five or more years under the same legal entity. Twenty or more completed projects with photo evidence we’ve reviewed. Surety bond and workers comp confirmed with the carrier. An A or A+ BBB rating with the complaint history read. A third-party background check on the owner and key employees. An in-person visit to a recent project. And permits pulled with final inspections passed.
Can a contractor pay to get into the network or to be sent my project?
No contractor can pay us more to get sent your way. We earn a fee when a contractor confirms your appointment, and most of what we make comes only if you sign with them. Sending you someone you won’t hire costs us money, so there’s no bidding and no premium tier.
Still deciding who to trust? Read how to spot a contractor scam before you sign for the license and deposit checks you can run yourself, or see how a vetted contractor reaches your shortlist.
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