How to cross check a General Contractor’s work on a condo remodel?

[Matt A.]

I’m about to spend around $20k-$50k hiring a general contractor to do some remodeling work on a condo in Oakland.

How do you recommend I cross check their work? I ask because even if it looks good to me visually, I don’t have the experience to fully check it for things like quality, completeness, or code compliance; nor do I know how to verify they successfully filed the correct permits.

For instance, do I hire some sort of Construction Consultant to cross check it? Any suggestions toward ones if so?

[Caroline Gerardo]

$20000/50 is not a major remodel. What exactly is contractor doing?

Before I took the contractor's license test in 1995 there was no Youtube.

If you hired a reputable contractor who has references and you checked everything I would suggest:

read the Permit and planning Department in Oakland specs regarding what you are doing

Read the HOA CCR's with the same above

Chat with proximate neighbors and give them your number

Watch every Youtube video about the exact work you have planned.

Treat this as a college class and learn every detail.