Research San Diego contractors before you hire
Use dated company evidence as a starting point, then check California contractor credentials, compare written proposals and confirm the permits for your property and actual scope. This guide connects homeowners to research and company websites without requiring a lead-capture form. The examples are not ranked and do not guarantee results or availability.
Guide research reviewed October 16, 2026. Live publication and directory links were checked for the examples below. Each company profile retains its own qualification date; this guide review did not repeat its BBB or Google checks or independently verify licensing or insurance.
Start with the project address and the right agency
San Diego is both a city name and part of a wider service region. Confirm the authority for the actual property before following a permit checklist. A contractor serving the metro, or a company office in a neighboring city, does not establish which agency approves your project.
For City of San Diego work, start with the official permits and approvals guide. It separates building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and right-of-way work. Ask which approvals cover the full scope, who is responsible for obtaining them and what inspections or completion records will be required. A submitted application is not an issued permit.
Read local company profiles by trade
These are nonranked research examples. Confirm service to your exact address and read the qualification and complaint context in each profile.
For roof-specific scope, historic-review, solar coordination and inspection questions, see the San Diego roofing research guide.
- MarkSchroeder & Co — landscape design, construction and maintenance. Research reviewed October 16, 2026. The recorded Google sample was eight reviews, so it should not be treated as broad customer consensus. Separate design, installation and ongoing maintenance when comparing proposals.
- Shake, Shingle & Roll Roofing — roofing. Research reviewed October 16, 2026. The profile documents installation, reroofing and leak-repair services; confirm the roof system, repair versus replacement scope and any related structural work.
- Frankie’s Plumbing LLC — plumbing. Research reviewed October 9, 2026. The profile covers drain/sewer work, water heaters, gas lines and household plumbing repairs and installations. Ask whether diagnosis, access and restoration are included.
- Core Electric — electrical. Research reviewed October 8, 2026. The profile covers repairs, troubleshooting, panels, lighting and EV chargers. Its recorded Google sample was 15 reviews; the profile also discloses two website domains linked through a matching public phone number. Confirm current contact and business details directly.
Licensing, bonding, certifications and insurance were not independently verified by NHA for these Gold profiles. Each reported zero BBB complaints displayed on its own research date—not a guarantee that no customer has experienced a problem. Ratings and records can change; review each profile’s source links and limitations.
Check the exact California contractor record
Use CSLB’s official license and Home Improvement Salesperson lookup to match the business name and license number and review the available status and complaint disclosures. Ask which classification applies to the proposed work. A printed number, rating or recognition badge is not a current license check.
CSLB’s hiring guidance recommends at least three written bids using the same plans, specifications and scope. Ask for current insurance documentation and verify coverage with the insurance agency or carrier. This guide has not performed individual CSLB or insurance checks for the companies above.
A Simple Permit is not permission to skip permits
The City offers a Simple, no-plan mechanical, electrical and plumbing permit for qualifying minor installations at eligible homes. The page includes property-type and historic-property limitations. Examples include certain wiring or circuit work and some water-heater or piping repairs, but the exact scope matters; not every equipment change qualifies.
No-plan means a particular permit pathway does not require plan review—not that the work needs no permit, qualified contractor or inspection. Before comparing estimates, ask Development Services which record type applies to your property and complete scope, and identify the permit and inspection responsibilities in writing. Do not assume another city’s permit rules apply here.
Separate private landscaping from street-tree decisions
A private landscape contract is not authority to change a City-maintained tree. The City’s tree-maintenance guidance directs street- and park-tree concerns to its reporting process and describes requests for trimming, removal, planting or root pruning after City inspection.
Before work near a sidewalk or street, establish whether the tree or improvement is private, City-maintained or in the public right-of-way, and ask the responsible department what approval is needed. For private landscaping, clarify design, irrigation or drainage work, planting, ongoing maintenance, access and debris removal. The landscape example above does not establish that every tree service is offered or that a professional certification has been independently verified.
Compare the complete contract—not only the price
For roofing, identify repair versus replacement, materials, flashing, drainage, decking and any structural changes. For plumbing, separate diagnosis and camera inspection from the actual repair and restoration. For electrical work, identify circuits, panel or service changes, equipment and inspection responsibilities. For landscaping, distinguish the design fee, installation scope and recurring maintenance.
Follow CSLB’s contract guidance for written scope, contractor identity, materials, payment terms, permit responsibility, completion terms and written changes. Review the current official requirements for the applicable project before signing. Obtain written warranty and follow-up terms; this guide supplies no local price estimates or blanket guarantees.
What NHA Gold does—and does not—verify
Gold profiles document an exact-entity BBB A+ grade, a directly checked Google rating strictly above 4.3, matching business identity, official service evidence and BBB complaint-context review on the profile’s own research date. Those observations can change. Licensing, bonding, certifications and insurance were not independently verified by NHA.
Confirm current credentials, coverage, scope and suitability with the company and appropriate authorities before hiring. Recognition does not guarantee workmanship, availability or government approval. Continue with the research standards, company directory, homeowner resources or national contractor research hub.