This collection hosts the printable checklists and worksheets that support the Contractor Selection step. It provides the tools that help the homeowner verify contractor credentials, compare written bids, review the contract, and track lien waivers throughout the construction process. The collection is designed to be printed and used during the selection and construction phases.
The checklists in this collection pair with the Contractor Selection Learning Resource. The Learning Resource explains the method for vetting contractors and managing the contract. The checklists provide the format for tracking the verification, the bids, and the payments. Together they protect the homeowner from contractor fraud, abandoned projects, and mechanic's liens.
This page is the evidence side of the Contractor Selection concept-proof pair. It connects with the Contractor Selection page. The checklists below are organized by selection step. Each checklist includes the fields for capturing the required information.
Print the checklists before you begin the selection process. Use the vetting checklist for each contractor you consider. Use the contract review worksheet before signing. Use the lien waiver tracker throughout the construction process.
The sections below list the checklists by selection step, the fields included, and the instructions for completing them.
Each checklist below supports a specific part of the Contractor Selection method. The checklists are designed to be printed and filled in by hand.
Use the checklists below to protect your investment and ensure the rebuild is completed safely and on budget.
A sequence for vetting contractors, comparing bids, reviewing contracts, tracking payments, and collecting lien waivers.
Your Action: Use the Contractor Vetting Checklist to verify the license, the insurance, the surety bond, the references, and the complaint records. Ask for a written statement of qualifications.
Why It Matters: Hiring an unlicensed or uninsured contractor exposes the homeowner to liability and leaves no recourse if the work is defective.
Your Action: Use the Bid Comparison Worksheet to compare at least three written bids line by line. Ask each contractor to explain any excluded work or allowances.
Why It Matters: A significantly lower bid may omit necessary work or use substandard materials, leading to costly change orders later.
Your Action: Use the Contract Review Worksheet to review the written contract before signing. Verify the scope of work, the materials, the timeline, the payment schedule, the change order provisions, the lien waiver provisions, and the dispute resolution provisions.
Why It Matters: The written contract is the legal document that protects the homeowner's investment.
Your Action: Use the Payment Schedule Tracker and the Lien Waiver Tracker to record every payment and collect a lien waiver from every subcontractor and supplier before making payments.
Why It Matters: Unpaid subcontractors can place a mechanic's lien on the property, even if the homeowner has paid the general contractor.
Your Action: Use the Final Walkthrough Checklist to verify that all work is complete and matches the contract. Ensure the local building official issues the certificate of occupancy. Obtain final lien waivers from all parties. Release the final payment only after all inspections pass.
Why It Matters: The final walkthrough and certificate of occupancy prove the home is safe to inhabit and that the contract is fulfilled.
Verify the contractor's license through the state licensing board. Verify the certificate of insurance for general liability and workers compensation. Confirm the surety bond is active. Check references from previous customers and review complaint records with the state licensing board and the local better business bureau.
A lien waiver is a document signed by a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier that waives the right to file a mechanic's lien against the property in exchange for payment. Collect a lien waiver from every subcontractor and supplier before making payments.
Glossary Term: Mechanic's Lien
Definition: A legal claim against a property by a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier who has not been paid for work or materials provided to the property.
In Practice: If a subcontractor is not paid by the general contractor, the subcontractor can file a mechanic's lien against the property. The homeowner may be forced to pay the subcontractor to clear the lien, even if the homeowner already paid the general contractor.
Why It Matters: A mechanic's lien can cloud the title of the property and prevent the homeowner from selling or refinancing. Lien waivers at each payment stage prevent this risk.
Glossary Term: Change Order
Definition: A written modification to the original construction contract that changes the scope of work, the materials, the price, or the timeline.
In Practice: When the contractor discovers additional damage or the homeowner requests a change, a change order is prepared. Both parties must sign the change order before the additional work is performed and billed.
Why It Matters: A change order protects both parties by documenting the agreed-upon modification. Performing work without a signed change order often leads to disputes over payment.
Case Origin: Why This Collection Exists
This collection carries the contractor selection checklists assembled during the 2026 reorganization of WindRainFlood.Com. The checklists were produced by following homeowners through the contractor selection process and identifying the verification steps that prevented fraud and defective work.
The legacy week-based pages on WindRainFlood.Com described the contractor selection method but did not provide the checklists. Survivors reading those pages often missed the verification steps or the lien waiver requirements. The reorganization produced printable checklists to accompany the method.
This collection is the proof side of the Contractor Selection concept-proof pair. The Contractor Selection page carries the method. This collection carries the checklists.
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