Does the license match the company signing?
DBPR recommends checking both the contracting business and its individual qualifier. Compare those records with the exact name on the proposal. A website badge, business tax receipt or similar company name is not a substitute for the relevant license record.
Florida DBPR construction business verification · Escambia choosing a contractor
Match the contract and license records
Suppose the proposal uses a trading name, the license search shows an individual, and an engineer’s name appears on an attached drawing. Ask the provider to explain how those names relate before signing.
- Which legal entity will enter the construction agreement?
- Which current license record and qualifier cover that entity’s work?
- Who is responsible for the engineering assignment and revisions?
- Which subcontractors perform separate dock or utility work?
- Who supplies the permits and completion records?
DBPR recommends checking the contracting business and its individual qualifier. A familiar name or license number on a brochure is not enough to resolve a mismatch in the agreement. Keep the explanation and dated verification with the final proposal. Florida DBPR construction business verification
Where should Escambia owners look?
Escambia provides separate links for local contractor searches and state-certified license searches. Ask county licensing which category covers your proposed marine scope when the record is unclear. Keep a dated copy of the verification with the proposal.
Who is responsible for engineering?
Use the Florida Board of Professional Engineers lookup for a proposed engineer. FBPE distinguishes a license search from a disciplinary-record search; checking one is not the same as checking both. Ask who seals the design and who answers questions during construction.
Florida Board of Professional Engineers licensee search · Florida Board of Professional Engineers regulation and enforcement
How should insurance be confirmed?
Ask the provider and its insurance representative about coverage relevant to the actual work, parties and location. Discuss workers’ compensation and liability arrangements with qualified advisers. A certificate is a starting document; do not infer every exclusion or contractual protection from its existence.
- Match the insured name to the contracting entity.
- Check the relevant dates and project scope.
- Clarify subcontractor responsibilities.
- Ask how claims or damage are reported.
What does a useful written proposal include?
| Topic | Request |
|---|---|
Diagnosis | The defect being addressed and the retained components. |
Design | Drawings, responsibilities and assumptions. |
Permits | Who applies, pays, answers comments and closes out. |
Price | Quantities, allowances, exclusions and change-order terms. |
Site | Access permissions, utilities, protection and restoration. |
Warranty | What is covered, for how long, exclusions and the claim route. |
Which references are actually comparable?
Ask about work on a similar shoreline with similar access and structure. With the previous owner’s permission, ask how changes, communication and restoration were handled. Do not treat an unrelated driveway lift or inland retaining wall as evidence of an identical marine scope.
Use the quote checklist and assessment guide to compare the work before comparing totals.
Show sourcesHide sources
- Florida DBPR construction business verificationSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Escambia choosing a contractorSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Escambia contractor licensingSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Florida Board of Professional Engineers licensee searchSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Florida Board of Professional Engineers regulation and enforcementSource reviewed 2026-10-27