Check the contractor. Compare the scope. Ask better questions.

An Arizona ROC license should be reviewed for the legal entity, license number, current status, classification, qualifying party information where available, and whether the license appears relevant to the work being offered.

• License number
• Business / legal name
• Status (active, suspended, cancelled, expired)
• Classification (and whether it covers the scope being bid)
• Residential / commercial / dual where applicable
• Qualifying party where publicly available
• Bond and complaint information where publicly available
• Official ROC source link and the date checked

ROC classifications exist because different scopes of work may require different qualifications. A contractor may be properly licensed for one type of work but may need a different classification, a licensed specialty trade partner, or a different delivery model for another type of work.

The name on the proposal, the name on the ROC license, and the company actually contracting for or performing the work should be reviewed carefully. Confirm with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors →

The business owner and the license's qualifying party are not always the same person. That is not automatically a problem, but homeowners should understand who holds the license, who qualifies the license, and which legal entity is contracting for the work.

Where publicly available, the Arizona ROC record may identify the license holder and qualifying party. Homeowners should confirm that information directly through ROC and ask the contractor how the licensed entity is connected to the proposal.

Questions to ask

• What legal entity is signing the agreement?
• What ROC license number applies to this scope?
• Is the license active and current?
• What classification does the license hold?
• Who is the qualifying party?
• Is the qualifying party actively connected to the licensed company?
• Which parts of the work will your company self-perform?
• Which parts will be completed by licensed specialty trade partners?
• Who is responsible for permit, engineering, HOA, inspection, warranty, and correction work?
• If specialty trades are used, will their license information be provided?

Outdoor-living projects can involve multiple trades and specialties: pools, excavation, steel, plumbing, electrical, gas, shotcrete/gunite, pavers, masonry, shade structures, glass, fencing, lighting, kitchens, drainage, irrigation, and more. The proposal should make it clear who is responsible for each scope and whether work is self-performed, subcontracted, partner-coordinated, or manufacturer-provided.

A contractor may be able to contract for or coordinate a scope under one delivery model while needing a properly licensed specialty partner for another. The important thing is that the homeowner understands who is performing the work, who is licensed for it, who is responsible for it, and how warranty or correction issues are handled.

AE self-performs much of its work and coordinates qualified specialty partners where specialized equipment, licensing, products, engineering, or expertise are required.

1. Enter the contractor name and ROC number into the Arizona ROC contractor search.
2. Confirm status and classification directly from the official record.
3. Record what you found, the date, and the source link.
4. Compare it to the legal entity named on your written proposal.

Information not personally verified through ROC should be labeled "User-entered — verify directly with ROC."

Review public signals across Google Business Profile, BBB, Houzz, Facebook, manufacturer dealer listings, and trade associations. Look for context, not just star counts.

• Do reviews mention the type of project you are hiring for?
• Are reviews recent and tied to a real business profile?
• Are there photos of completed work — not just stock or inspiration images?
• Are there reviews from projects similar to yours?
• Do negative reviews reveal recurring themes?
• Does the company respond professionally?

Where information cannot be confirmed, use "Needs more review" or "Not enough information" — not accusations.

A lower total can reflect a smaller project, different materials, or owner-responsible items hidden in the fine print. Common reasons one proposal comes in lower:

• Smaller scope or fewer included services
• Missing demolition, haul-off, or site protection
• Missing drainage, grading, or base preparation
• Missing engineering, permit, or HOA coordination
• Lower-grade product or unspecified manufacturer
• Unclear or limited warranty
• Excluded utility work (electrical, gas, plumbing, low-voltage)
• Assumed easy access — no contingency for difficult sites
• Owner responsible for more items (selections, fees, removals)
• Specialty scope not included or routed through a separate vendor

This may explain part of the price difference. Ask the contractor to clarify. If the written scope does not contain enough information to compare, that is itself useful information.

The Arizona ROC record usually shows when a license was issued. Compare that issue date to the projects the contractor shows in their portfolio, on social media, and on their website. If the license is only a year or two old but the gallery shows dozens of large, completed projects, that's worth a straightforward conversation — not an accusation.

There are legitimate explanations (prior work under a different licensed entity, qualifying-party experience carried over, work performed as an employee of another licensed contractor, partner-performed work). There are also less-legitimate ones (unlicensed work, borrowed photos, another company's projects presented as their own). Ask and let the answer speak for itself.

Questions to ask

• When was this ROC license first issued to this legal entity?
• Are the projects in your portfolio built by this licensed entity?
• If some were built under a previous company, what was that company and its ROC number?
• Can you share addresses or references for two or three completed projects similar to mine?
• Who was the qualifying party on those earlier projects?

Confirm the issue date and any prior/related licenses directly with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.

If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor does not carry workers' compensation, the homeowner can end up exposed. If a crew member damages your home, hardscape, irrigation, or a neighbor's property, general liability is what pays for the repair. If a company vehicle backs into your gate on the way in, commercial auto is what responds. These are three different policies and none of them are optional questions.

Ask — and ask for it in writing

• Do you have W-2 employees, 1099 workers, or subcontracted crews?
• Do you carry Arizona workers' compensation covering everyone on my property?
• What are your general liability coverage limits, and can I be added as a certificate holder?
• Do you carry commercial auto on the vehicles that will be at my home?
• If a subcontractor's worker is injured here, whose workers' comp responds?
• If your crew damages my home, driveway, landscaping, fence, pool, or a neighbor's property, what is the claim process?
• Can you email a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from your insurance agent — not a screenshot from you?

A COI sent directly from an insurance agent, listing you as a certificate holder, is the standard way to verify active coverage. If a contractor can't or won't provide one, that is useful information.

Workmanship warranties, callback promises, and "we'll take care of it" all depend on the same thing: the legal entity that signed your contract still being in business when something needs to be corrected. It's fair to ask about a contractor's business history before you sign a five- or six-figure agreement.

Questions to ask

• Has the owner or qualifying party previously operated other contracting companies in Arizona or elsewhere?
• If a prior company was closed, why — retirement, restructuring, sale, or unresolved issues?
• Has anyone associated with this company held an ROC license that is no longer active? What happened?
• Has a prior company ever closed with projects incomplete, or with customers unpaid or unrefunded?
• Are there any past or current judgments, ROC complaints, liens, or unresolved disputes tied to the owner or qualifying party?
• How long has this specific legal entity been operating under this ROC license?

Track record on real projects

• Have you pulled municipal or county permits before? For what types of scopes?
• Have you completed large multi-trade outdoor-living projects (pool + hardscape + structure + utilities) before?
• Can you provide two or three references from completed projects of similar size and scope to mine?
• Who will be the on-site lead, and how long have they worked with your company?

None of these questions are accusations. A confident, well-run company will answer them directly. Verify names, ROC numbers, and current status through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. For patterns of complaints, check the ROC complaint history and public court records in the counties where the contractor has operated.

• What legal entity am I contracting with, and what ROC license covers this scope?
• Which scopes are self-performed and which are specialty-partner performed?
• Who handles permits, engineering, HOA, drainage, and utility coordination?
• What is the workmanship warranty, and what manufacturer warranties apply?
• What is the change-order process, and how is pricing handled?
• What is the payment schedule tied to?
• What is excluded — explicitly?
• What happens if specialty-partner work needs correction?