How to Hire a Commercial Contractor in Palm Beach County: A No-Nonsense Guide

By Pajaziti & Associates · Licensed Commercial GC, CBC1265699 · Palm Beach County, FL

Hiring the wrong commercial contractor in Palm Beach County is one of the most expensive mistakes a business owner or developer can make. Missed deadlines, change order abuse, unlicensed subs, and failed inspections don't just cost money — they delay your opening, violate your lease, and can result in legal liability. This guide tells you exactly what to look for and what to avoid.

Step 1: Verify the License — Before Everything Else

Florida requires commercial contractors to hold a state-issued license. There are two types:

• Certified Building Contractor (CBC) — licensed statewide, can work anywhere in Florida
• Registered Contractor — locally licensed only, restricted to specific county or municipality

For commercial work in Palm Beach County, you want a Certified Building Contractor (CBC). You can verify any Florida contractor license at myfloridalicense.com. Search the contractor's name or license number and confirm the license is active, not expired or disciplined.

Pajaziti & Associates holds Florida Certified Building Contractor license CBC1265699 — verified active.

Step 2: Confirm Insurance

Any legitimate commercial GC will carry:

• General Liability Insurance — minimum $1M per occurrence, $2M aggregate for commercial work
• Workers' Compensation Insurance — required by Florida law for contractors with one or more employees

Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming you as additional insured. If a contractor can't produce this within 24 hours, walk away.

Step 3: Check Commercial Experience — Not Residential

Commercial construction is fundamentally different from residential. Commercial projects involve:

• Florida Building Code — Commercial (not residential code)
• ADA compliance requirements
• Fire suppression and alarm systems
• Health Department and AHCA reviews (for food service and healthcare)
• Complex MEP coordination (mechanical, electrical, plumbing)
• Landlord coordination and lease compliance

A contractor who primarily builds homes will struggle with commercial. Ask for a portfolio of completed commercial projects similar to yours — same use type (restaurant, office, medical) and similar scope.

Questions to Ask Every GC Before Hiring

1. How many commercial projects similar to mine have you completed in Palm Beach County?
2. Who will be the project superintendent on-site daily?
3. Do you self-perform any trades or do you subcontract everything?
4. How do you handle change orders? What triggers one?
5. What is your typical permitting timeline for this type of project?
6. Can I speak with three references from projects similar to mine?
7. What's your current project load and can you start within my timeline?

Red Flags to Watch For

• 🚩 Asks for large upfront deposits — 10% is standard. More than 30% upfront is a red flag.
• 🚩 Won't pull permits — "we'll just do it without a permit to save time" is illegal and exposes you to liability when you sell or re-lease the space.
• 🚩 No written contract — verbal agreements don't hold up. Every commercial project needs a detailed written contract with scope, schedule, and payment terms.
• 🚩 Unusually low bid — if one bid is 30%+ below the others, they either missed something, plan to make it up in change orders, or will use unlicensed subs.
• 🚩 No commercial references — contractors who dodge reference requests are hiding something.
• 🚩 License not verifiable — if you can't find them on myfloridalicense.com, don't hire them.

Getting Competitive Bids

For commercial projects over $100,000, get at least 3 bids. Make sure all bids are based on the same scope — an architect's drawings or a detailed scope of work document. Comparing bids without a common scope is comparing apples to oranges.

The lowest bid is rarely the best value. Evaluate bids on:

• Completeness of the bid (does it include everything?)
• Clarity of what's included and excluded
• Contractor's relevant experience
• Proposed schedule and ability to meet your deadline
• Communication responsiveness during the bid process