When The League certifies a contractor, it is only after establishing that the contractor has gone through a rigorous examination designed to make sure that the company in question is legitimate, has a business track record and is both reliable and trustworthy.

The following is a list of steps we take when examining each contractor's background:

1. Contractor must be licensed in the state of California and in good standing with California Contractors State License Board.
2. Insurance: Each contractor is required to have general liability insurance as well as workers compensation insurance. For certain types of work, commercial auto insurance is required.
3. Public records check: This is performed through BICA (the Building Industry Credit Association)-This involves a search for derogatory information that may involve the contractor with both the County Courts and the County Records Office. This is for all counties in Southern California.
Credit Check: Contractors are subjected to a credit check to ascertain their credit rating. All participating contractors must have an acceptable standard of credit.
4. References: We check multiple customer and business references for each contractor by telephone.
5. Business Practices: The contractor must follow our code of Ethical Business Practices.

As complete as our due diligence is, we always encourage homeowners to perform their own. This can be done by insisting on seeing the contractors licence when contact is made, plus asking for references of past customers in your area. It is also recomended that you ask the contractor to show you a copy of their insurance certificate for general liability as well as workers compensation insurance (providing they have employees). You are welcome to e-mail The League with questions about any of the contractors listed.