After the storm, before the payment
Check the Michigan license and contract before repair money moves
Michigan homeowners can test a repair pitch against current state records: the right builder or trade-limited license, the company and qualifying-officer relationship, the written scope and payment triggers, the business entity, the insurance route, and any claimed FEMA connection.
Match the license type to the damaged work
A Residential Builder may work on a complete residential structure. A Maintenance & Alteration contractor is limited to the trades printed on the license, including categories such as roofing, siding, gutters, masonry, insulation, concrete, excavation, and basement waterproofing. Other work may require electrical, plumbing, or mechanical credentials. Search by license number and name, then read the class, status, expiration, and scope instead of accepting a screenshot.
Check both the person and the company
Michigan builder businesses can have a company license tied to an individual qualifying officer. LARA says a company cannot operate without a current qualifying-officer license. Compare the individual and company records with the business name on the quote, contract, invoice, website, and email. If the relationship is not visible, ask for the license numbers and a written explanation before work or payment.
Make the contract show when every dollar is earned
Michigan’s Attorney General advises requiring a signed written contract with start and completion dates, required permits, a cost breakdown, payment dates and the events that trigger them, plus the contractor’s license number, street address, and phone number. Put every promise and change in writing. Avoid cash and full payment up front, and keep final payment behind completed work and any required inspections.
Separate FEMA assistance from the contractor pitch
Michigan’s Attorney General says FEMA does not charge application fees, hire a repair contractor for a homeowner, or endorse a particular contractor. FEMA inspections are free. If someone claims a government relationship, verify it through an official disaster-recovery route before sharing information, signing, or paying. The July 2026 recovery centers connect residents affected by the April storms with FEMA assistance, but they do not turn a private contractor into a government-approved contractor.
Match the business and requested payee
Search the legal business name and compare it with the license records, contract, invoice, email domain, and account or person asking to receive money. A mismatch is not automatic proof of fraud, but it is an identity gap to resolve in writing. Do not let a payment-app username or handwritten instruction replace the legal relationship shown by the records.
Keep control of insurance money and verify proof separately
Michigan’s Attorney General advises homeowners to have an insurer make a covered-damage check out in the homeowner’s name only, preserving control over contractor payments. Ask for current insurance evidence, then contact the listed agency through a route found independently of the document. Compare the named insured, dates, and coverage type with the licensed company and the work being proposed.
This guide is general consumer information, not legal, construction, FEMA, or insurance advice. Michigan requirements depend on the work, price, property, license class, business structure, and contract. Last reviewed July 21, 2026.