Match the construction company and qualifier
DBPR explains that a qualifying individual qualifies a construction business. Check the company and qualifying license together in the official records. Ask the local permit office whether the license covers the proposed marine scope. A different business name on the contract needs an explanation.
Check who takes design responsibility
FBPE directs consumers to the state license lookup for professional engineers and engineering businesses. Verify the named person and firm, and ask who prepares, signs and revises the project drawings. An old stamped plan does not establish the current status of the professional.
Ask for evidence relevant to your property
- Current insurance information from the appropriate issuing source.
- Comparable work involving the same wall system and access conditions.
- A clear explanation of which permits and subcontractors are included.
- The proposed investigation and what remains unknown.
- References you may contact with the owner’s permission.
What does each document actually verify?
| Evidence | What to check |
|---|---|
DBPR license record | Active status, qualified business and the proposed work scope. |
Engineer or firm record | The named designer and current professional status. |
General liability certificate | Named insured, policy dates and contact for coverage questions. |
Workers’ compensation record or exemption | The current record for the relevant person or business. |
Comparable-project reference | Similar wall system and access; permission to contact the owner. |
Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate recommends checking liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage or exemption before signing. These documents answer different questions; none replaces the proposed project’s design or written scope.
Construction Industry Business Information · Statutes and Rules · Demolish Contractor Fraud: Choosing a Contractor
Read the scope as a project record
| Check | What should be clear |
|---|---|
Design and quantities | Wall limits, material, height, supports and drainage. |
Permits | Who applies, pays and closes them out. |
Access and restoration | Permission, protected areas and final condition. |
Changes | Written approval process and pricing method. |
Warranty | Covered work, exclusions and remedy. |
Match the contract scope to the permit package and use the cost checklist to uncover omissions.
Documenting permit job value · Survey and structural drawings
How do you clarify a vague seawall proposal?
Example wording: “Repair seawall, fill voids and clean up.” Ask for the missing boundaries and responsibilities before treating that as a complete scope.
| Vague phrase | Ask for |
|---|---|
Repair seawall | Identified wall segments, components and the defect being addressed. |
Fill voids | How the cause and treatment limits will be established. |
Permits included | The applications, fees and completion records covered. |
Clean up | The specific lawn, irrigation, paving or dock restoration included. |
Warranty provided | Covered work, exclusions, remedy and how to request service. |
The reply should match the actual drawings and investigation. This is a way to clarify a proposal, not sample engineering specifications or a substitute contract.
Demolish Contractor Fraud: Contracts and Documentation · Survey and structural drawings · Guide to Concrete Repair, second edition, 2015
What should happen at each payment stage?
Ask for a payment schedule linked to named deliverables and describe how changes are approved. Do not assume a verbal statement about a permit, inspection or completion date is part of the signed scope.
- Before signing: reconcile the company name, drawings, work limits and exclusions.
- Before a progress payment: identify the deliverable or milestone the payment covers.
- Before changed work: record the reason, scope, price and authorization.
- At completion: collect the agreed inspection records, approved changes, warranty and maintenance information.
The Florida consumer guidance calls for written work details, an itemized budget and payment schedule. Have an appropriate adviser explain unfamiliar payment, lien or insurance-assignment terms before you sign.
Demolish Contractor Fraud: Contracts and Documentation · Survey and structural drawings
Show sourcesHide sources
- Construction Industry Business InformationSource reviewed 2026-10-26 · official indexed text
- Statutes and RulesSource reviewed 2026-10-26
- Demolish Contractor Fraud: Choosing a ContractorSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Documenting permit job valueSource reviewed 2026-10-26
- Guide to Concrete Repair, second edition, 2015Source reviewed 2026-10-26 · official indexed text