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What's in my contract?

The free check asks for six things and every one of them is on the first page of your contract or on a statement. Half of the people who ran our sister site's check typed a wrong number the first time, so here is a drawing of where each one lives.

1 Contractor's legal name and license number 2 Contract price and deposit 3 Payment schedule 4 Start and completion dates 5 Financing, if any 6 The lien notice 7 Transaction dates on your statement
ACME POOLS & PAVERS License CPC 1234567 · 100 Example Rd · Anytown Contract No. 2419 Date: 02/14/2026 1 Owner:D. Example, 12 Lake View Dr, Lakeland FL Scope of work: Contract price:$68,500.00 Deposit due at signing:$20,550.00 (30%) 2 Payment schedule: Excavation complete ........ $13,700 Shell / steel / plumbing ..... $20,550 Deck and equipment .......... $10,000 Final ........................ $3,700 3 Start date:within 30 days of permit Completion:approx. 120 days from start 4 Financing:arranged through Example Lending, acct ending 4471 5 Notice: a subcontractor or supplier who is not paid may file a lien against your property even if you have paid the contractor in full... 6 Contractor signature / date Owner signature / date

What each one is for

  1. Legal name and license number. The name on the contract is the name you look up, sue, and file the complaint against; it is often different from the sign on the truck. The license number goes straight into the state lookup. If there is no number, that is your first finding.
  2. Contract price and deposit. The deposit percentage matters in the states that cap it (California 10% or $1,000; Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, and Pennsylvania one third; Florida triggers a permit-and-start clock above 10%). The check asks for the total you have actually paid, which is the deposit plus every progress payment.
  3. Payment schedule. Tells you which milestones you paid for and whether the work matched. A payment for "shell complete" on a hole with no shell is the sentence the demand letter is built on.
  4. Start and completion dates. The promised completion date starts the chargeback clock. If the contract only says "approximately 120 days from start," count from the start date; if it says nothing, use the date work stopped.
  5. Financing. If the contractor arranged the loan, the lender is a second party to write to. If you paid by card, the statement is what matters (below).
  6. The lien notice. Most states require this paragraph. It is not a lien; it is a warning that a sub might file one. The state page tells you whether that is a real risk where you live.
  7. Transaction dates. The chargeback window runs from each payment's transaction date, not the post date, and each payment is disputed on its own. Use the most recent one in the check; it stays open longest.
EXAMPLE BANK · Visa ending 2201 · Statement 03/2026 Trans date Post date Description Amount 02/14/26 02/16/26 GROCERY MART #22 84.12 02/17/26 02/19/26 ACME POOLS AND PAVERS 20,550.00 7 02/20/26 02/21/26 FUEL STOP 118 51.40 04/03/26 04/05/26 ACME POOLS AND PAVERS 13,700.00 7 Disputes: call the number on the back of your card or use the app. Each charge is disputed separately.

Have the numbers? Run the free check

If your contract looks nothing like this, email a photo of the first page (cover your address if you like) to jon@homestillworks.com and we will tell you which line is which and add the layout here for the next person.