How to Check a Contractor in Connecticut Before You Hire (5-Minute Checklist)
How to look up a Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor registration, confirm insurance, and spot contract red flags before you sign.
This takes about five minutes and it's the best five minutes you'll spend on a home project.
1. Look up the HIC registration
In Connecticut, anyone doing home improvement work on an existing home, including flooring, where the job is over $200 must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection as a Home Improvement Contractor. Look them up at elicense.ct.gov. Don't rely on a photo of a card. Check the state site.
2. Get a certificate of insurance
Ask for a certificate of liability insurance sent directly from their insurance agent. If someone falls off a ladder or a floor gets damaged, you want their policy covering it, not yours.
3. If your home was built before 1978, ask about lead
Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint on trim, doors and baseboards. Under EPA rules, contractors who disturb painted surfaces in those homes, including pulling baseboard for a new floor, need to be lead-safe (RRP) certified. A lot of houses in Windham County fall into this group, so ask.
4. Get a written contract
Connecticut requires home improvement contracts to be in writing. A real one lists the scope, price, start and finish dates, and your right to cancel. If a contractor wants to "just shake on it," walk away.
5. Read the reviews the right way
Look at Google reviews, not just testimonials on their website. Read the 3-star reviews and how the owner responded. That tells you how they handle problems.
Our info
We'll give you our registration number and insurance certificate with every quote. Ask for it. We'd rather you check.
Quick answers
Do flooring installers need a license in Connecticut?
Flooring installers doing home improvement work over $200 on an existing home must be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor with the CT Department of Consumer Protection.
Where do I check a CT contractor registration?
On the state eLicense site, elicense.ct.gov.
What is RRP certification?
EPA lead-safe certification required for contractors disturbing painted surfaces, such as old baseboard, in homes built before 1978.