Need work done on your home in Missouri?
Local pros are ready to help.

Missouri does not license general contractors statewide — St. Louis, Kansas City, and other municipalities run their own contractor licensing. Electricians and plumbers are licensed locally in the major metros and by the state in some categories. Always check the local rule for the city where the work happens.

Start with the official lookup linked above from the Missouri Division of Professional Registration (local licensing applies). Confirm the license or registration is active, that the classification matches your project, and check for disciplinary history or complaints. Then verify general liability insurance — and workers' compensation if the company has employees — directly with the insurance carrier, not from a photocopied certificate.

If something goes wrong, your state consumer protection office and the licensing board are the places to file complaints. Keep the written contract, invoices, photos, and all communication.

Permits are strictly local. Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, and Columbia each run separate permit systems with different requirements.

For permitted work, the contractor should pull the permit in their own name and schedule the required inspections. An inspection is your independent verification that the work meets code — be cautious of anyone who suggests skipping a required permit or asks you to pull an owner permit for work they are performing.

Hot humid summers, cold winters, and severe storms including tornadoes shape Missouri projects. Hail damage drives roofing demand, and basement waterproofing is a recurring need.

Housing ranges from historic St. Louis brick homes to post-war suburbs. Basements are common, and older urban homes frequently have aging systems and lead paint.

Get at least two or three written, itemized quotes. The contract should name the scope, price, payment schedule tied to milestones, start and completion dates, change-order process, and warranty terms. Tie payments to completed work, keep the final payment meaningful until the punch list is done, and never pay the full amount up front.

Federal consumer guidance from the FTC applies everywhere: be wary of door-to-door solicitation after storms, pressure to sign immediately, demands for large cash payments up front, and contractors who cannot provide a verifiable license, insurance, and local references.