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Specifically: each contractor furnishes proof of a current state contractor's license (where the state requires one for the work performed), a current Certificate of Insurance for general liability with coverage no lower than industry standard for the work, and workers' compensation coverage where the contractor has W-2 employees. We hold copies of all three and re-verify them annually.
The background check covers the principal of the business and any field staff who would enter a customer's home. We use a third-party screening service and check criminal records, sex-offender registries, and any current civil judgments related to construction work or consumer protection.
Network contractors also carry CAPS certification (separately verified with NAHB) and have agreed in writing to the network's contact-handling and conduct standards. A contractor who fails to maintain any of these — license, insurance, CAPS, conduct — is removed from the network.