Among the questions to ask a design-build contractor, the most useful reveal who controls the design, documents the scope, manages construction, and communicates decisions. Hiring one firm for both design and construction can reduce handoffs, but only when responsibilities are clear.
Use this checklist when planning a kitchen, bathroom, full interior remodel, addition, accessory dwelling unit (ADU), or new home in Los Angeles or Orange County. Ask each shortlisted contractor the same questions, request written answers when cost or scope is involved, and compare clarity rather than proposal totals alone.
If you are still evaluating project delivery methods, read design-build vs. design-bid-build before interviewing firms.
License, insurance, and payment questions
1. What is your CSLB license number and classification?
California contractors must be licensed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Ask for the number, confirm the classification fits the proposed work, and check that the business name matches the proposal and contract.
The free CSLB license lookup shows the business identity and current license status. Design and Create Builders holds CSLB license 1116111, Class B.
2. Can I verify your bond and workers’ compensation status?
The CSLB notes that a license record also shows bond and workers’ compensation information. These records are useful consumer safeguards, although they do not replace a careful review of the contract or prove that a contractor suits your project.
A prepared contractor should direct you to its CSLB record and provide current insurance documentation when requested. Design and Create Builders is licensed and insured.
3. What down payment and payment schedule will the contract use?
For a California home improvement contract, the CSLB states that the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, excluding finance charges. (The CSLB notes one exception, for contractors with a blanket performance and payment bond on file.) The contract must also include a detailed, written payment schedule, and payments cannot exceed the value of the work performed, apart from the down payment.
Do not accept a verbal payment arrangement. Every payment requirement should appear in the contract before you sign.
Questions about the team and design accountability
A design-build firm should identify the people responsible for drawings, permits, site coordination, and construction. Vague claims about a broad professional network do not tell you who will answer questions or protect the approved design.
For a closer look at what happens after hiring, review our step-by-step design-build process.
4. Who will be in-house and who will be subcontracted?
Ask which roles are part of the company and when outside specialty trades may be involved. A good answer identifies the project roles, explains who directs field work, and establishes accountability across the team.
Design and Create Builders has in-house interior designers, architects, project managers, and construction crews. The assigned team coordinates any outside trades involved in the scope.
5. Is the design team on staff, and will the designer visit the site?
A designer’s involvement should not end when construction begins. Ask how the designer reviews field questions, checks measurements, and confirms that work follows the approved drawings and selections.
“We make sure our design expertise is heard and implemented the right way, and part of how we do that is having our interior designer on site during construction, verifying that everything is built to the specs, measurements, and design she created.”
Nad, founder of D&C Builders
This connection between design and field execution is especially valuable when layouts, cabinetry, finishes, and small dimensional details must work together.
6. Is design included in the construction agreement, and who handles permits?
Ask which design services and construction documents are included, how decisions receive approval, and who coordinates building permits. Permit approval and timing remain subject to the relevant authorities, so the contractor should describe its responsibilities without promising agency outcomes.
At Design and Create Builders, design is included with every project at no extra cost. Our team also manages building permits as part of the connected design-build process.
Questions about scope, materials, and changes
A complete scope gives your design goals a written foundation. It also clarifies responsibilities before demolition exposes conditions that could not be seen during planning.
7. What is included, excluded, and documented?
Request a line-by-line explanation of construction services, design deliverables, fixtures, finishes, and owner responsibilities. Exclusions should be as clear as inclusions.
Compare complete scopes rather than totals alone. A substantially lower proposal deserves closer review because omitted work or unresolved selections may become additional costs later.
What to confirm before signing
| Ask to see | Why it matters | Written confirmation to request |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of work | Defines the labor, design deliverables, fixtures, and finishes included | Detailed descriptions of included work |
| Material selections | Reduces substitutions and purchasing delays | Product and finish list |
| Exclusions | Identifies work or items outside the proposal | Specific exclusion list |
| Change orders | Establishes how additional work receives approval | Written pricing and approval procedure |
| Payment schedule | Connects payments to documented terms | Payment amounts and due points |
8. When will I see renderings and choose materials?
Ask when design development starts, whether 3D renderings apply to your project, and how selections become part of the construction documents. A responsible process resolves major material decisions before field work begins.
For Design and Create Builders projects, applicable 3D renderings are produced after the client signs, not before the proposal. We help homeowners choose materials through showroom guidance, then document every selected item on a detailed sheet before construction starts.
We work with semi-custom cabinetry rather than fully custom cabinetry. This distinction should be clear when discussing cabinet layouts, finishes, storage features, and available configurations.
9. How do you handle change orders and hidden conditions?
Existing walls and finishes can conceal mold, dry rot, outdated systems, or other conditions that were not visible during design. Ask how the contractor documents the discovery, explains its effect, prices the additional work, and obtains approval.
“We don't like change orders, and we try to include everything upfront in the initial contract. But if you open a wall and find mold that couldn't have been seen beforehand, that gets handled at a fair market rate and price. Whatever comes up, we communicate it transparently with the homeowner, and we don't take the next step without their approval.”
Nad, founder of D&C Builders
Do not rely on verbal approval. The contract should establish a written change-order process covering scope, cost, and authorization.
Questions about schedule, communication, and proof
Schedule questions should uncover sequencing, decision deadlines, and responsibility, not force an unrealistic completion promise. Kitchen and bathroom work may disrupt essential routines, while larger remodels, additions, and new construction require more extensive living arrangements.
10. Who builds and manages the schedule?
Ask who prepares the construction schedule, how selections affect it, and who reports changes caused by approved revisions or concealed conditions. The schedule should cover the sequence from demolition through final finishes.
“A lot of construction companies over-promise and under-deliver on timelines. We want to under-promise and over-deliver, especially on kitchen and bathroom projects where people are still living in the house.”
Nad, founder of D&C Builders
For Design and Create Builders: On time, guaranteed.
11. Can we stay in the home during construction?
The answer depends on the affected rooms, utilities, access routes, noise, dust controls, and family needs. A contractor should assess your specific scope rather than make a blanket promise.
A single kitchen remodel or bathroom remodel is often livable. A full remodel, addition, or new build usually is not.
12. Who is my point of contact?
Confirm who will answer construction questions, document decisions, and report progress after signing. Design and Create Builders assigns a dedicated project manager and provides weekly updates.
The communication plan should be established before work begins. Ask how urgent site decisions and schedule changes will be brought to you.
13. Can I see comparable work and contact past clients?
Review projects with a similar style and scope, rather than relying only on presentation images. Ask whether you can visit completed work, read reviews and client stories, and request references during the proposal stage.
Design and Create Builders takes prospective clients to see completed work and connects them with past clients. You can also browse our finished projects before requesting a consultation.
Red flags before you sign
Pause the process when a contractor cannot provide direct, consistent answers. Watch for:
- Reluctance to provide a CSLB license number
- License information that does not match the proposal
- Unclear scope, material responsibilities, or exclusions
- Pressure to make an improper down payment
- No written change-order approval process
- Vague answers about the assigned design and construction team
- No regular progress-update plan
- Refusal to provide relevant work examples or references
- A substantially lower proposal with no clear explanation of what is included
If an interview answer conflicts with the written contract, seek clarification and require a correction before signing.
How Design and Create Builders answers these questions
Design and Create Builders is a licensed and insured Class B contractor serving Los Angeles County and Orange County under CSLB license 1116111. Our design-build services cover full interior remodels, kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, ADUs, and new construction.
Our in-house team includes interior designers, architects, project managers, and construction crews. Design is included at no extra cost, we manage permits, applicable 3D renderings begin after signing, and all materials are selected and documented before construction.
A team member personally reviews every estimate request and calls to discuss your scope, timeline, and budget. There is no obligation, and you can read more answers in our FAQ before deciding.
