Looking for General Contractor in Cleveland OH

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Looking for General Contractor in Cleveland OH

Investor · Valparaiso, IN · Member since 2014 · 189 posts · 47 votes

Have some possible fix and flips in the Cleveland OH area in the future and looking to find quality licensed contractors.

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Eric Kleinsasser

Specialist · PA · Member since 2026 · 31 posts · 5 votes

20h

Mike, I spent years in construction before getting into software, so here's what I'd line up before you need someone. The two markets check contractors differently. Ohio has no state license for general contractors, but the City of Cleveland requires GCs to be registered, bonded and insured with Building & Housing, and you can call the city to confirm a contractor is registered. Georgia licenses residential and general contractors at the state level for jobs over $2,500, and you can search them on the Secretary of State's license lookup (roofers, painters and drywall guys are exempt there, so check those by references). Since you'll be out of state, I'd also ask: who pulls the permits, and will they send you the permit numbers so you can check status yourself? Will they price a scope sheet line by line so each draw ties to finished items with photos? How many jobs are they running right now? Get two investor references and a past job address your agent can drive by, and if you can, start them on a smaller job before handing them a full rehab, I've had some awful experiences working with contractors that I didn't vet before giving them work.

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Eric Kleinsasser
Specialist · PA · Member since 2026 · 31 posts · 5 votes
20h
Mike, I spent years in construction before getting into software, so here's what I'd line up before you need someone. The two markets check contractors differently. Ohio has no state license for general contractors, but the City of Cleveland requires GCs to be registered, bonded and insured with Building & Housing, and you can call the city to confirm a contractor is registered. Georgia licenses residential and general contractors at the state level for jobs over $2,500, and you can search them on the Secretary of State's license lookup (roofers, painters and drywall guys are exempt there, so check those by references). Since you'll be out of state, I'd also ask: who pulls the permits, and will they send you the permit numbers so you can check status yourself? Will they price a scope sheet line by line so each draw ties to finished items with photos? How many jobs are they running right now? Get two investor references and a past job address your agent can drive by, and if you can, start them on a smaller job before handing them a full rehab, I've had some awful experiences working with contractors that I didn't vet before giving them work.
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Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member
CPA, CFP®, PFS · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
18h
Mike, finding a reliable GC before you actually need one is definitely worth doing, especially if you're planning multiple flips.
I'd vet them on more than price. Ask for references from investors they've worked with, verify licensing and insurance, and make sure they're comfortable with detailed scopes, budgets, timelines, and change orders. I'd also want to know how they handle unexpected issues once the walls come open.
For flips, having a contractor who can give you reliable numbers before you close can make a huge difference in whether the deal actually works. Happy to connect!
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Ryan BakerBusiness Member
Lender · Strongsville / Cleveland, OH · Member since 2026 · 94 posts · 22 votes
15h
Hey Mike, Cleveland is a solid flip market, but contractor quality varies a lot, so it pays to vet people before you have a deal under contract. Ask for their city contractor registration, proof of insurance, a couple of recent flips you can drive by, and a line-item bid with a draw schedule tied to completed work rather than a big upfront deposit.
I'm based in the Cleveland area, do investor lending, and have a local construction and property management team, so I'm happy to talk through rehab budgets and financing for your first deals here on a quick call. My direct line and email are on my profile.
(Drafted with AI assistance.)
[email protected]330-548-3340
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