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It depends on the trade and scope. The cost table on this page gives typical national ranges by service. Always get a written estimate after an on-site visit — a phone price for anything but the smallest job is a red flag.

In Florida, general and many specialty contractors are licensed through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), with both state-certified and county-registered licenses. Confirm the license type covers your county and your scope of work. Confirm a current license and general-liability insurance before work starts, and for a larger job ask for a certificate of insurance naming you. License and insurance details on a listing are entered by the business unless the listing says otherwise, so look the license up yourself before you hire.

Look the license up by name or number on the state licensing board's public search, confirm it is active and covers the trade, and check for complaints or disciplinary actions. Ask for proof of insurance too. Never pay in full up front, and ask who will pull any required permit.

Call any business on this page directly, or request a quote from one business on its page — that request goes to that business only. A request from this page goes to up to three businesses that list the service near your ZIP, and we email you their names. We don't sell your details. Give the job details and photos up front so the quotes are comparable. Comparing two or three quotes is the norm for anything beyond a small repair.

Check the license and insurance, read recent reviews, and ask for references and photos of similar jobs. Get the scope, materials, timeline and payment schedule in writing before work starts. Be wary of anyone who wants a large cash deposit, pressures you to skip a permit, or only quotes over the phone.

Most structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing and addition work needs a permit; small cosmetic repairs usually do not. Usually the licensed contractor doing the work pulls the permit. If you are asked to pull it yourself as an owner-builder, you take on legal responsibility for the work, so ask why first. Permitted work protects your resale and insurance — be wary of anyone who suggests skipping it. Check your city or county building department for what applies.

It depends on scope and permitting. A small repair is often same-day; a room remodel runs one to three weeks of active work plus lead time for materials and inspections; a whole-home renovation or addition runs months. Ask for a start date and a realistic completion window in writing, and expect weather and permit delays on outdoor and structural work.