San Diego Outdoor Living Contractor Scorecard (2025): 100-Point System to Grade Any Contractor
Updated December 2025 – San Diego County
Interviewing contractors is stressful because everyone sounds good at first. “We’ve been doing this for years.” “We’re licensed and insured.” “We do quality work.” Without a framework, it’s hard to separate talk from structure.
This guide gives you a 100-point scorecard to grade any San Diego outdoor living contractor on the things that actually matter: licensing, paperwork, specs, drainage, utilities, QA, contracts, timeline, and stability. Use it to compare bids objectively and see why only a handful of firms – including INSTALL-IT-DIRECT – consistently score near the top.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not legal, financial, or engineering advice. Always consult appropriate professionals for project-specific questions.
TL;DR — The 100-Point Contractor Scorecard
We break contractor evaluation into nine categories worth a total of 100 points:
- Experience & focus – 10 points
- Licensing & paperwork – 15 points
- Specs & backbone (Good/Better/Best) – 15 points
- Drainage & utilities plan – 10 points
- QA & documentation – 15 points
- Contract & payment terms – 10 points
- Timeline & on-time approach – 10 points
- Reviews & stability – 10 points
- Communication & fit – 5 points
Scorecard Categories & Weights
Here’s the high-level breakdown of the 100-point system:
- Experience & focus (0–10): do they specialize in outdoor living in San Diego, or is it a side offering?
- Licensing & paperwork (0–15): license, insurance, subs, E&O, and willingness to provide docs.
- Specs & backbone (0–15): do they design and price for proper base, drainage, utilities, and structures?
- Drainage & utilities plan (0–10): can they clearly explain what happens with water and utilities?
- QA & documentation (0–15): checklists, subsurface photos, daily notes, portal.
- Contract & payment terms (0–10): fair, clear, and aligned with milestones vs front-loaded and vague.
- Timeline & on-time approach (0–10): realistic timelines and any guarantee or structure around dates.
- Reviews & stability (0–10): years in business, review volume, financial stability indicators.
- Communication & fit (0–5): clarity, responsiveness, and whether you feel heard.
100-Point Contractor Scorecard (Printable Table)
Use this table to score each contractor on a 0–weight basis. You can print this section and fill it by hand or adapt it into your own spreadsheet.
| Category | Weight | What to Look For | Score (0–Weight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Experience & focus | 10 | Years focusing on outdoor living in San Diego; volume of similar projects; familiarity with local soils, microclimates, and neighborhoods. | /10 |
| 2. Licensing & paperwork | 15 | Active CSLB license with correct classifications; current liability and workers’ comp certificates; subs licensed and insured; E&O for design-heavy work; willingness to provide docs promptly. | /15 |
| 3. Specs & backbone (Good/Better/Best) | 15 | Do they define specs for base, compaction, drainage, utilities, and structures? Do they use a clear Good/Better/Best framework instead of vague “quality work” claims? | /15 |
| 4. Drainage & utilities plan | 10 | Can they clearly explain how water will move across your site and where it discharges? Do they have a plan for routing and sizing gas, power, water, and data — including sleeves for future needs? | /10 |
| 5. QA & documentation | 15 | Written QA checklist; required subsurface photo proof; daily PM notes; client-facing portal or at least an organized, shared photo/document system. | /15 |
| 6. Contract & payment terms | 10 | Clear scope tied to drawings; milestone-based payment schedule; written change order process; no predatory or one-sided terms; realistic allowances and minimal hidden exclusions. | /10 |
| 7. Timeline & on-time approach | 10 | Realistic timeframes for design, approvals, and build; acknowledgment of weather and approvals; any formal on-time approach or guarantee. | /10 |
| 8. Reviews & stability | 10 | Years in business under current name; review volume and quality across platforms; evidence of stable operations vs “pop-up” crews. | /10 |
| 9. Communication & fit | 5 | Responsiveness; clarity; respect; whether they listen and explain instead of bulldozing or glossing over concerns. | /5 |
Add up each contractor’s scores out of 100. You’ll quickly see who is structured and transparent versus who is improvising and hoping for the best.
How to Use This Scorecard (Step-by-Step)
You don’t need to be perfect with the numbers. The power of this scorecard is in the relative differences between contractors.
- Shortlist 2–3 contractors.
Use your initial phone calls and online research to narrow to a handful of serious options. - Use our Interview Guide.
Ask structured questions during calls and on-site visits to gather information in each category. - Score each category.
After each meeting, fill in rough scores (0–weight) for each contractor. - Compare totals & patterns.
Look not just at the total, but where each contractor is strong or weak (drainage, QA, contract, etc.). - Decide with eyes open.
Use price, score, and your gut together — with a clear picture of what you’re trading off.
We’re happy to walk through your scores with you and explain how our approach maps to each category so you can sanity-check your evaluation.
Example: How Two Contractors Might Score
Here’s an illustrative example (not tied to specific companies) to show how the scorecard might play out:
| Category | Weight | Typical Low-Bid Contractor | Structured Design-Build Firm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experience & focus | 10 | 6 | 10 |
| Licensing & paperwork | 15 | 7 | 15 |
| Specs & backbone | 15 | 6 | 14 |
| Drainage & utilities plan | 10 | 4 | 9 |
| QA & documentation | 15 | 3 | 14 |
| Contract & payment terms | 10 | 5 | 9 |
| Timeline & on-time approach | 10 | 4 | 9 |
| Reviews & stability | 10 | 5 | 9 |
| Communication & fit | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Total | 100 | 43 / 100 | 94 / 100 |
These numbers are just examples, but they reflect what we often see: the “cheap” option looks tempting until you evaluate all the risks and moving parts. The scorecard makes those differences visible.
FAQs — Using the Contractor Scorecard
What is a “good” score?
There’s no universal cut-off, but most homeowners find that contractors scoring in the 80–100 range feel very structured and trustworthy, 60–80 feels mixed, and below 60 usually reflects meaningful risk areas that need explanation or extra caution.
How should I weigh score vs price?
Price still matters, but the scorecard shows what you’re trading off to get it. A lower bid with a much lower score may cost more in the long run through change orders, rework, or stress. A slightly higher bid with a much higher score is often the better value.
What if a contractor won’t answer questions or provide documentation?
That’s an answer in itself. You can score them low in licensing/paperwork, QA, and contract categories accordingly. You are under no obligation to hire someone who is unwilling to be transparent about how they work.
Isn’t this overkill for smaller projects?
You can scale the scorecard up or down. For smaller projects, you might focus on fewer categories (paperwork, drainage, QA, and contract terms). For six-figure projects, it’s reasonable to evaluate all nine categories carefully.
Can INSTALL-IT-DIRECT help me fill out this scorecard?
Yes. We’re happy to review your notes and proposals, help you score what you’re seeing, and explain how our approach maps to each category so you can make a clear, confident decision.
This article is for educational purposes and does not replace legal, engineering, or financial advice. Always consult qualified professionals as needed for your particular property, design, and contract.