How to Hire a Flooring Contractor in CA

Before you hire anyone for floors in California, check their license on the state contractors board (CSLB) site, get a written contract, and don’t pay more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the price up front, whichever is less. La Cumbre Floor Covering & Design holds California contractor license #1125785, and you can look it up yourself.

Check the license

Use the CSLB’s “Check a License” tool at cslb.ca.gov, or call 1-800-321-2752 (CSLB). Enter the license number and check that it’s active and which classes it holds. Ask for proof of bond and insurance.

Flooring class. C-15 covers surface prep and carpet, resilient flooring and wood floors, including finishing and repair. It excludes ceramic tile, which is a separate class.
Small jobs. Since January 1, 2025, unlicensed work is allowed only up to $1,000, only with no hired workers and only when no permit is needed.
Bond. Licensed contractors must carry a $25,000 bond, which exists to protect customers harmed by defective work.

Check a license on CSLB. Our number is 1125785, class C-15, flooring and floor covering. We carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation, so ask us for proof the same way you’d ask anyone. We’re also accredited by the Better Business Bureau, rated A+; see our BBB profile.

What a California home improvement contract must have

State home improvement law requires a written contract for projects over $500. The CSLB’s sample contract and consumer guide list what goes in it:

The contractor’s name, address, phone and license number, and your name and address.
A plain-language description of the work and the significant materials.
The total price, and any finance charge.
Start and finish dates.
A payment schedule. Each payment lists the amount and the work it covers. Payments cannot run ahead of the work done.
Who pulls permits.
Any warranty, in writing, with what is covered and for how long.
The required notices: right to cancel, a mechanics lien warning, and insurance disclosures.

The down payment can’t be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less. The exception is a contractor with a blanket performance and payment bond.

The CSLB guide gives you three business days to cancel a standard contract, five if you are 65 or older, and seven for disaster repair. That right doesn’t apply when you sign at the contractor’s place of business or for emergency repairs. The cancellation notice in your own contract is the one that controls, so read it.

Any change to the work has to be written up as a change order, signed by both of you, with the price change stated before the extra work begins.

Each time you pay, the contractor must give you a full, unconditional lien release for that payment. It protects you if a supplier or worker doesn’t get paid.

Ten questions to ask any flooring contractor

What is your license number, and which classes does it hold?
Do you have workers’ compensation and liability insurance? Can I see proof?
Will you give me a written contract with a payment schedule and the notices?
What exactly is included: removal, disposal, subfloor repair, furniture moving, baseboards?
What finish, how many coats, and which sheen?
How do you control dust?
If you find damage under the floor, how is it priced and approved?
What is your schedule, and when can we walk on the floor?
Can I see photos of similar work and talk to a recent customer?
What does the warranty cover, in writing?

Red flags

No license number on the estimate, or a license that doesn’t match the name.
Asking for more than $1,000 or 10 percent to start.
No written contract, or one that leaves out the finish and the number of coats.
No mention of dust control.
A promise to sand out cupping before the moisture problem is fixed.
A quote for a factory-finished (aluminum oxide) floor at the same price as a regular one. That finish takes much longer to sand.
A refinish quote on an engineered floor without measuring the top layer.
Pressure to decide today.

Older home? Lead and asbestos

If your house was built before 1978, federal law requires firms paid to disturb painted surfaces to be EPA-certified in lead-safe work. That means giving you the “Renovate Right” pamphlet, containing the work area and using HEPA-equipped tools. Ask whether the firm is certified. Owners working on their own home are generally exempt.

Older vinyl tile and the adhesive under it can contain asbestos. Federal safety rules say this kind of flooring must not be sanded, and leftover adhesive must be scraped wet. If you suspect it, have a certified lab test a sample before anyone tears it up. In Santa Barbara County, larger renovations can require notifying the air district; single-family homes are generally exempt from notification.

Permits, work hours and condos

Permits. The City of Santa Barbara’s exempt-work list names “interior painting, papering and similar finish work” and doesn’t mention flooring, so ask the permit counter. Montecito falls under Santa Barbara County, not the City. Structural subfloor work is more likely to need a permit.
Work hours. The Cities of Santa Barbara and Ventura both allow construction from 7 am to 8 pm daily. Other towns and the county vary, and condo buildings often set stricter hours.
Condos and HOAs. Most require written approval for new hard flooring and an acoustic underlayment that meets a minimum sound rating. Get your association’s rule before you order anything.

If something goes wrong

Tell the contractor in writing first and give them a chance to fix it. If that fails, you can file a complaint with the CSLB, which handles violations for up to four years from the act; a written warranty can extend that. Keep the contract, photos and every payment record.

Ask us these ten. Call (805) 698-9745 and put them to us. Estimates are free.

Hiring a flooring contractor in California