Published 2026-10-23
California has specific requirements for home improvement contracts, and CSLB publishes guidance on them. Before you sign anything for lead work, read the whole contract and ask questions about anything unclear.
Start with who is signing. The contractor's name and California license number should be on it, and you should have checked that number at cslb.ca.gov. Make sure the scope of work says which surfaces or rooms are covered and what method will be used.
Look for what happens after the work: cleanup, clearance testing, who pays for retesting if a sample fails, and how problems are handled. Look at the payment terms and the schedule, and ask about changes if lead is found in an area that was not part of the original plan.
Contract and pay the licensed contractor directly. If anyone, including a referral website, offers to sign or negotiate for you or collect payment, treat that as a warning sign.
We never do that. We are a referral service: we refer you to a contractor with an active California license, and you deal with them directly.
Quick list
- License number on the contract, checked at cslb.ca.gov.
- Clear scope of work and method.
- Cleanup and clearance testing spelled out.
- Payment terms and schedule you understand.
- Deal with the contractor directly.