How to find a contractor in Maryland: 2026 vetting guide

How to find a contractor in Maryland in 2026. Maryland requires any contractor performing home improvement work over $1,000 to hold a Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license. The MHIC license is the first check, but it is not sufficient on its own. Here is a 12-step process for finding a contractor you can trust. Step 1: Identify three contractors. Use the 301 Business Directory at https://301businessdirectory.com/category/general-contractors to get a list of local contractors in your city and category. Step 2: Verify the MHIC license. Every contractor must be licensed at dpor.maryland.gov. Verify the license is current, the classification covers your work, and there are no disciplinary actions in the last five years. Step 3: Get three written bids. Never accept a verbal estimate. Get three written bids on the same scope of work so you can compare apples to apples. The lowest bid is not always the best; the highest bid is not always the best. Step 4: Check insurance. The contractor should have general liability insurance (typically $1M minimum) and workers compensation insurance for any crew members. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance with you as an additional insured for the project. Step 5: Check BBB and reviews. Search the contractor on the Better Business Bureau website. Check Google reviews, Yelp, and Birdeye. Look for patterns in complaints, a single complaint is not a deal-breaker, but a pattern of complaints is. Step 6: Ask for references. Get three references from projects completed in the last 12 months. Call those references and ask whether the project was completed on time, on budget, and to the agreed scope. Step 7: Check Maryland business status. Confirm the contractor business is in good standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Step 8: Get a written contract. The contract should specify: scope of work, materials (brand and model), start date, completion date, payment schedule, change order process, and warranty terms. Step 9: Never pay everything upfront. The standard schedule is 10% down, 30% at start of work, 30% at midpoint, 25% at substantial completion, 5% retainage for 30-90 days after completion. Step 10: Pull the permit. Most major work requires a county building permit. The contractor should pull the permit in their name. Verify the permit is closed and signed off at completion. Step 11: Document everything. Keep copies of the bid, the contract, the change orders, the invoices, the photos before-during-after, and the warranty documents. Step 12: Know your rights. Maryland enforces the right to repair your vehicle, the right to a written contract for home improvement work over $1,000, and the three-day right of rescission for door-to-door sales. The Maryland Home Improvement Commission and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General handle complaints. Common red flags. Cash-only requests. No written contract. Pressure to sign immediately. Significantly lower than other bids. No physical address. Out-of-state plates on the work vehicle. Browse Maryland contractors at https://301businessdirectory.com/category/general-contractors.