Homeowner due diligence
A pretty website is not proof. Do your homework.
You're about to invest more in your outdoor space than most people spend on a new car — sometimes more than a starter home. That deserves the same research you'd put into any large purchase, and more scrutiny than most homeowners give it.
Anyone can build a beautiful website. Photos can be purchased, licensed, borrowed from a sub-trade, or in some cases lifted from another builder. Before you sign a proposal, look at the whole company — not just the gallery.
The stock-photo problem
Marketing agencies will happily fill a portfolio page with professionally staged photography that has nothing to do with the builder who paid for the site. That's not always malicious — some of it is stock, some is licensed from paver or equipment manufacturers, some is a subcontractor's work under a different brand. But if the whole portfolio was built by someone else, you're hiring the marketer, not the builder.
The fix is simple: ask which projects on the site are theirs, ask where they are, and ask to see a real, recent one in person or over a live video walk-through. A real builder says yes without hesitation.
Check the license — every time
In Arizona, work over $1,000 requires a licensed contractor. If you hire an unlicensed one, you can be personally liable for injuries on your property and for code corrections after the fact. That's a real financial and legal risk, not a technicality.
- Look them up on roc.az.gov. Confirm the license is active and in good standing.
- Confirm the classification. A landscaping license doesn't cover pool construction. Pools, hardscape, glass fencing, electrical, and plumbing all sit under different license types.
- Read the complaint history. A few resolved issues over a long tenure is normal. An open pattern of unresolved complaints is not.
- Match the entity to the contract. The license is issued to a specific legal entity. Make sure that entity is the one on your signed agreement.
Look at how long they've actually been in business
New companies pop up every year. That's healthy — every good builder started somewhere, and new companies deserve a chance to earn work. But tenure is a real signal. A company that's been standing through monsoon seasons, code changes, warranty claims, staff turnover, and one or two economic cycles has been tested in ways a two-year-old company simply hasn't been.
If you're leaning toward a newer company — and there are great ones — just tighten the rest of your due diligence to match. Verify licensing carefully. Ask for recent references. Look for named leadership with a longer individual track record than the company itself. And read the warranty language even more carefully, because the entity has less operating history to lean on.
Look at what they invest in besides advertising
You're inviting a company into your home, your neighborhood, and in many cases the schools and community your family is part of. It matters whether that company is part of the same community — and whether they invest in it in real, measurable ways or just talk about it in marketing copy.
"We give back" means nothing on its own. Look for specifics. Named programs. Named partner organizations. Dated events. Photos with permission. A company that shows its work in the community the same way it shows its work in a backyard is one that plans to still be there when your warranty is 3, 5, or 10 years old.
This isn't a substitute for licensing or craftsmanship. It's a filter you apply after the technical due diligence is done — because two companies can both be technically qualified, and one of them will still be around in a decade.
The 7-point homeowner due diligence checklist
Run every bidder — including AE — through the same list. If anyone can't clear it, that's your answer.
- 1
License is active and correctly classified
Look them up on roc.az.gov by name or ROC number. Confirm the classification actually covers the work you're hiring for — a landscaping license does not cover pool construction, and vice versa.
- 2
Legal entity and ROC number appear on the website
A real builder puts their legal entity and ROC number in the site footer or About page. If you can't find either without digging, that's information asymmetry — on purpose.
- 3
Portfolio is verifiable and dated
Ask which projects are theirs, where they were built, and when. A confident builder will name locations, ballpark dates, and offer to walk you through a finished project either in person or over a live video call.
- 4
References in the last 12 months
Anyone can produce three glowing references from 2019. Ask for three from the last year, on the type of project you're hiring for.
- 5
Scope is written, specific, and named
Base assembly named. Materials by brand and model. Plumbing and electrical rough-in scope defined. Inspections listed. Change-order and delay handling spelled out.
- 6
Warranty is written before you sign
Workmanship terms and length. Manufacturer coverage documented and registered. Who handles what if something needs service.
- 7
Community footprint you can actually verify
Named programs, named partners, dated events, photos with permission. Vague 'we support the community' language is marketing; specific programs with public partners is proof.
An honest note from AE
We understand budget. We understand that price matters, and that not every homeowner is in a position to hire the highest bidder. The point of this page isn't to steer you toward AE — it's to steer you away from getting hurt on a project this size.
Run the checklist on us. Look up our ROC. Ask us where our recent projects are. Ask what we do in the community. If we can't clear our own list, keep looking.
Due diligence FAQ
Questions homeowners actually ask before hiring
Aren't photos on a company's website proof of their work?
Not by themselves. Real red flags to watch for: (1) hero images that also show up on Shutterstock, Unsplash, or a manufacturer's dealer kit — reverse-image-search a few and see what pops up; (2) portfolios that mix pool, patio-cover, turf, and outdoor-kitchen photos with no consistent style, date, or location — often a sign of stitched-together subcontractor work presented as their own; (3) drone shots of gorgeous backyards with no street, no city, no month, and no homeowner story attached; (4) 'before' photos that never match the 'after' angle. Before you trust a portfolio, ask which specific projects are theirs, when they were built, what city, and whether you can drive past one this week.
How do I check an Arizona contractor's license?
Look them up by name or ROC number on the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website (roc.az.gov). Confirm the license is (a) active — not suspended, revoked, or expired; (b) in the correct classification for your scope (a C-61 landscaping license does not cover pool construction, and a pool license does not cover a patio cover or block wall); and (c) free of open complaints or unresolved judgments. Concrete red flags: an ROC number on the proposal that returns 'no results,' a license whose classification doesn't match the work, a suspended or revoked history, or a business name on the contract that doesn't match the licensed entity. In Arizona, work over $1,000 requires a licensed contractor — hire an unlicensed one and you can be liable for injuries and code issues on your own property.
Does the number of years in business really matter?
It's one signal, not the only signal. A company that's been building in the Valley for 10+ years has survived monsoon seasons, code updates, warranty claims, and staff turnover — and is still standing behind their work. New companies deserve a shot too; many do excellent work. The red flag isn't short tenure — it's short tenure with no explanation. Watch for: a website that claims '20 years of experience' but the LLC was registered 8 months ago (that usually means one person's résumé, not the company's track record); an ROC issue date that's brand new with no named prior employer or mentor; a founder who won't say what they did before starting the company; or a business name that keeps changing every 2–3 years (often a sign of walking away from prior warranties). New and honest is fine. New and vague is the problem.
What questions should I actually ask before signing?
Ask for: the ROC number and exact classification, the legal entity name that will appear on the contract, the workmanship warranty in writing (length and what it covers), three references from projects completed in the last 12 months in your area, a written scope that names the base assembly and materials by brand and model, a payment schedule that matches Arizona law, and how change orders and weather delays are handled in writing. Red-flag answers: 'we'll get you references after you sign,' 'the warranty is standard, don't worry about it,' 'we don't put brand names in the proposal because we want flexibility,' or 'the deposit is 40% to hold your spot.' Any of those, keep looking.
Why is community investment part of due diligence?
Because a company that puts real time and money into the community it works in is one that plans to still be there when your warranty is 3 or 5 years old. Look for named programs (e.g., Shop With a Cop, Day of Giving, a backpack drive), named partner organizations, dated events, and photos with permission — not stock 'community' imagery. Red flags: a 'Giving Back' page with generic charity clip-art and no organization names; claims of 'supporting local families' with no program, no year, and no partner; or awards from organizations that don't exist when you search for them. It's not a substitute for licensing or craftsmanship — but a company willing to be specific about its community footprint is usually willing to be specific about your project too.
What are the biggest red flags?
The short list, in order of severity: (1) No ROC number on the website or the proposal — or an ROC number that returns 'not found.' (2) Deposit demands over the Arizona limit, 'cash-only' pricing, or pressure to pay outside the company entity. (3) Same-day signing pressure, 'this price is only good tonight,' or a discount that disappears if you ask for a night to think. (4) Vague scopes with no base build-up, no brand-name materials, and no inspection list. (5) Portfolio photos with no location, no date, and no homeowner willing to talk. (6) Reviews that all sound identical, posted within a few days of each other, or from reviewers with no other review history. (7) A company that will not put the workmanship warranty in writing before you sign. (8) A legal entity name on the contract that doesn't match the ROC license. Any two of these together is enough to walk away — no matter how nice the salesperson is.
Ready to talk to a company you've already vetted?
Run us through the checklist. When you're ready to talk, we'll walk you through licensing, references, warranty, and how we invest in the community you live in.