How to Find the Best General Contractors in Ann Arbor
What to Look For · Red Flags · Questions to Ask · 2026 Guide
Ann Arbor has a competitive, high-quality contractor market driven by University of Michigan employees, tech professionals, and high-income homeowners who expect premium craftsmanship. This guide won't hand you a "top 5" list that's six months stale. Instead, it shows you exactly how to evaluate general contractors in Ann Arbor and find the right one for your specific project.
6 Things That Separate Great Ann Arbor Contractors From the Rest
Use this as your checklist when evaluating any GC in the Ann Arbor market.
Active Michigan Residential Builder License
Non-negotiable. Verify at michigan.gov/lara. The license should be Active, not expired or under complaint. Michigan licenses start with "2102" followed by 6 digits.
Verified Insurance Coverage
Request a Certificate of Insurance showing general liability ($1M minimum) and workers' compensation. Have them list you as an additional insured and call the insurer to confirm the policy is current.
Ann Arbor Project Experience
Ann Arbor's housing stock is older (1920s-1970s). Ask specifically for references from projects of the same age and type as your home. Knob-and-tube wiring, plaster walls, and lead paint require specific experience.
Transparent, Itemized Bids
A quality GC in Ann Arbor should be able to give you a line-item bid within 1-2 weeks of a site visit. Avoid anyone who gives you only a lump-sum number without breakdown.
Milestone-Based Payment Schedule
Ann Arbor's best contractors tie payments to completed phases, not calendar dates. Expect roughly: 10% mobilization, then 25%/50%/75% milestone draws, with 10% held at substantial completion.
Permit-Pull Track Record
Ann Arbor Building Services is thorough. Ask contractors how many Ann Arbor permits they've pulled in the last 12 months. A contractor who avoids permits in Washtenaw County is a liability.
Red Flags: Walk Away If You See These
- Asks for more than 25–30% upfront before significant work begins
- Can't provide a current Certificate of Insurance on request
- Suggests skipping permits "to save time and money"
- "License pending" or won't give you a license number to verify
- References are all from more than 2 years ago, or they won't provide local Ann Arbor references
- Bid is drastically lower than all others — scope gap or future change orders incoming
- Unwilling to give you a formal written contract with itemized scope
Questions to Ask Every Contractor Before You Sign
How many projects have you completed in Ann Arbor specifically in the last 18 months?
Do you have experience with homes built before 1960 — knob-and-tube, plaster walls, lead paint?
Who are your primary subcontractors for electrical and plumbing, and are they licensed?
How do you handle change orders — what's your process for pricing and authorization?
Can you walk me through a recent project that went significantly over budget, and what happened?
What's your current workload — how many projects are you managing simultaneously?
Verify Any Michigan Contractor License in 60 Seconds
Visit michigan.gov/lara → Residential Builders → License Lookup. Enter the contractor's name or license number and confirm the license is Active.