You can sort most contractors in a single phone call. Five questions do it, and the tell is not just the answer — it’s how fast and how specific the answer is.
The five questions
Ask for the license number, a current insurance certificate, the draw schedule tied to milestones, the change-order policy in writing, and the date and address of the last inspector sign-off. A contractor who runs clean jobs has all five ready without hedging.
A good GC treats these as routine, because on a well-run job they are.