How to Hire a General Contractor in Massachusetts: A Homeowner Checklist

A general contractor runs the whole project. That means planning the order of the work, handling carpentry and framing, scheduling the trades (plumbers, electricians, sometimes roofers or tile setters), ordering materials, coordinating inspections and keeping the site safe and clean. On a bathroom remodel, the GC is the person who makes sure the plumber roughs in before the walls close and the inspector sees the work before tile goes up.

This matters when you compare bids. A contractor who does the carpentry and the finish work with their own crew, and brings in licensed trades only where the law requires it, often has tighter control of the schedule than one who subcontracts everything. Ask each contractor who will be on site day to day and which parts of the job their own people handle.

Massachusetts has two separate credentials you should know about, and they are not interchangeable. The Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, managed by the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, generally applies to contractors doing residential work on existing one to four family owner-occupied homes. The Construction Supervisor License (CSL), issued through the state building regulations board, is generally required for the person supervising structural work, such as framing, additions, roofing and many major remodels.

Both can be looked up on mass.gov. Search the company or the individual by name and confirm the record is active and the name matches the person you are dealing with. Working with a registered HIC contractor also matters for another reason: the state runs a Guaranty Fund that may help homeowners with certain unpaid judgments against registered contractors, and that protection generally does not apply if you hire someone who is not registered.

While you are at it, ask for a current certificate of insurance and read it. You want to see liability coverage and, if the contractor has employees, workers compensation. A certificate sent directly from the insurance agent is more reliable than a photocopy.

Aim for two or three estimates on the same scope. The key word is same. If one contractor prices a mid-range vanity and another prices a custom one, the lower number tells you nothing. Before the site visits, write down what you want: which rooms, which finishes you already chose, what stays and what goes.

A good written estimate spells out the scope line by line: demolition and disposal, framing, insulation, drywall, trim, flooring, fixtures, permits and cleanup. It also says what is not included, such as appliances you are buying yourself or paint colors to be chosen later. Vague lines like "remodel bathroom, complete" leave room for surprise charges.

On cost, prices across Massachusetts vary a lot with the age of the house, material choices and access. Contractors typically build overhead and profit into the price, often somewhere in the range of 10 to 20 percent on top of labor and materials, though this varies by company and project size. Rather than chasing the lowest total, look at whether each estimate covers the same work. A free site visit and a clear written estimate is the fastest way to a number you can trust.

The site visit is your interview. Pay attention to whether the contractor looks at the things that drive cost: the age of the wiring and plumbing, signs of water damage, the condition of the roof and framing, how materials will get in and out. Someone who measures, opens the attic hatch and asks questions is usually someone who prices accurately.

Questions worth asking every contractor:

Who will I talk to during the job, and how do I reach them? Who is on site each day? Which permits will this project need, and who pulls them? What happens if you find rot or old wiring behind the walls? How do you handle change orders? How do you protect floors and keep the site clean while we live here? What is a realistic start date and how long will the work take?

Listen for direct answers. "It depends" is fine when it is followed by what it depends on.

Massachusetts law (Chapter 142A) sets rules for home improvement contracts. For most jobs over $1,000 the contract should be in writing and include, among other things, the contractor's registration number, a detailed description of the work, the total price, the payment schedule, and start and completion dates. If the contract was signed at your home, you generally have three business days to cancel without penalty.

The same law limits the up-front deposit. In general, a deposit before work starts should not exceed one-third of the total price, or the actual cost of special order materials if that is higher. A contractor asking for half or more before anything happens is a red flag.

Also look for how change orders are handled. Every change in scope or price should be written down and signed by both sides before the extra work is done. This protects you and the contractor, and it keeps the final bill free of surprises. The mass.gov site has sample contract language if you want to compare.

In Massachusetts, most structural work, roofing, decks, additions and major remodels need a building permit from the city or town. Electrical and plumbing permits are usually separate and pulled by those licensed trades. Inspections happen at set stages, often after framing and rough-in and again at the end.

Be wary of any contractor who suggests skipping a required permit to save time or money. Unpermitted work can cause problems when you sell the house, can affect insurance claims, and means nobody independent checked the work. A good contractor explains up front which permits your project will likely need and helps handle the permit process so inspections line up with the work.

Some warning signs come up again and again in consumer complaints: door-to-door offers with a price that expires today, cash-only deals, large deposits before any work, no written contract, a name that does not match any state record, and pressure to sign before you have seen other estimates. Another one is a contractor who cannot give you a clear answer about who will actually be on your job.

Good signs are simpler. You talk with the person who runs the work. You get a written estimate that you can read and understand. Questions get answered, not dodged. The site is protected and cleaned up at the end of each day.

NC Construction is a general contractor based in Woburn working across Massachusetts, including Burlington, Winchester, Reading, Stoneham, Lexington, Wilmington and Medford. The owner, Nathan Cunha, is on the job, so you have one point of contact from the first walkthrough to the final punch list. We handle remodeling, kitchens and bathrooms, additions, roofing, siding, decks, flooring, tile and finish carpentry.

Every project starts with a free site visit and a clear written estimate that spells out what is included. We explain which permits your project likely needs and help with the permit process. If you are comparing contractors, we are happy to walk through our estimate next to others line by line so you can see where the differences are.