Research Detroit-area contractors before choosing

Start with your property’s municipality, the work you need and the exact company that would sign the contract. This guide pairs dated NHA company profiles with official Michigan resources for credentials, permit authority and written proposals. You can contact companies directly without a lead-capture form. Examples are not ranked.

Guide sources and current published-profile links reviewed October 17, 2026. Company qualification dates below are separate: this guide did not repeat their BBB or Google checks or independently verify licensing or insurance.

Michigan’s plumbing permit guidance directs permit applications to the appropriate enforcing agency. It describes a narrow repair exception for working faucet or valve parts or clearing stoppages without changing existing piping or fixtures. Do not assume that a proposed replacement or alteration falls within that exception.

Ask who will obtain any required permit, which contractor and supervising master-plumber credentials belong on the application, who schedules inspections, and what completed records you receive. A diagnosis, permit application or inspection request is not evidence that the finished work has passed inspection. Confirm the actual scope with the local authority before work begins.

The electrical guidance distinguishes contractor licensing and permit eligibility from qualifying owner-performed work and directs applicants to the jurisdiction list. Do not let an owner-work exception become an assumption that a hired contractor needs no credential or permit. Ask which authority covers the installation and who is responsible for corrections and closeout.

The mechanical guidance makes classification relevant to HVAC, ductwork and related systems and states that contractors are responsible for permits on work performed for an owner. Ask whether the proposed service is minor-parts repair or an installation or alteration requiring approval. Put equipment, connections, access, inspection stages and disposal responsibilities in writing; this guide does not make a permit determination for your home.

For roofing or tree work, identify private property, shared boundaries, historic-designation questions and any street or public-right-of-way access before agreeing to scope. Ask the actual municipality about approvals and protection requirements. Detroit’s detailed building, roofing and tree procedure pages were not fully retrievable during this review, so this guide does not assert current city-specific exemptions or a tested filing workflow.

Michigan’s homeowner guidance recommends written specifications, materials, schedule, payments, permit responsibility, insurance provisions, warranty and cleanup terms. Compare proposals on the same scope. For roofing, define tear-off, decking discoveries, flashing and disposal; for tree work, distinguish pruning or removal, stump work, access and restoration; for pest treatment, define the target issue, treatment area, follow-up and recurring agreement. These questions do not imply that each example company offers every option.