Oregon CCB, insurance, and permits: why the boring stuff protects you
The Oregon Construction Contractors Board exists for a reason. Here's how to verify a contractor in ninety seconds, and what to ask before you sign anything.
Every legitimate residential contractor in Oregon is licensed by the Construction Contractors Board — the CCB. It's not a marketing badge. It's a legal requirement. If someone is doing more than $1,000 of work on your home and isn't CCB-licensed, they're operating illegally, and you have almost no recourse when things go wrong.
How to verify a contractor in ninety seconds: go to search.ccb.state.or.us, type in the business name or license number, and check three things — is the license active, is there a bond in place, and are there any open complaints or judgments. That's it. If any of those three come back wrong, walk away.
The bond matters more than most homeowners realize. Every Oregon residential contractor carries a bond specifically so that if the work is defective or the contractor disappears, you have a claim you can actually file. It's not a huge bond — $25,000 for residential general contractors — but it's real money that exists specifically for your protection.
The three questions to ask before you sign a contract: (1) can I have your CCB number in writing on the estimate — a legit contractor will already have it there; (2) will you pull the permit, or am I pulling it — permit-pulling responsibility is a real question and the wrong answer here can leave you on the hook for code violations years later; (3) can I see a certificate of insurance directly from your insurer, not just a screenshot — general liability and workers' comp coverage protect you if anything goes sideways on site.
Permits are the other thing homeowners try to skip and later regret. Unpermitted work shows up on inspections when you sell, and can force expensive retroactive corrections. Kitchen and bath renovations that touch plumbing or electrical almost always need permits in Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and every other jurisdiction we work in. Yes, permits take time. No, skipping them isn't worth it.
Roselawn Builders is CCB-licensed, bonded, and insured — and we'll hand you copies of everything at the first meeting, before you're asked. It's the boring part of doing this right.