Contractors, offices and paperwork
Before You Hire: Offices, License Lookups and Questions
Contracts and permits come up the moment a floor is torn out or a wall is opened. Here is what the Georgia Secretary of State, the three town offices and the state insurance commissioner publish on the subject, plus the points where their pages go quiet.
The state's page on residential and general contractors
One FAQ on the Georgia Secretary of State's site covers contractor questions. It lists four kinds of license. Residential-Basic is for detached one- and two-family houses and one-family townhouses of up to three stories. Residential-Light Commercial adds multi-family and multi-use light commercial buildings. General Contractor covers industrial and commercial work, and a Limited Tier version of that license caps contracts at $500,000.
According to the page, the state-issued contractor license does not apply to some specialty trades or to jobs priced under $2,500. It does not list the exempt trades, and it never mentions water extraction, drying or mold work. This site could not confirm from that page whether such work needs a state license, so that question goes to the contractor and to the state board.
Georgia Secretary of State, Residential and general contractors: frequently asked questions
Looking a name up on the state's tool
The Secretary of State's verification page is a search for professional licensees. Any field can be filled in, and an asterisk after partial text widens the search. Links on the page lead to a facility search, a complaint form against a licensee, and a way to report an unlicensed person or facility.
The page does not list which boards it covers. A search that returns nothing is a reason to ask the contractor which license applies, and proves nothing either way.
Georgia Secretary of State, Professional licensee verification
Carrollton: what the city pages list
The Licenses and Permits page lists building, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, gas and pool permits. Permits are picked up in person by the state card holder, and payment at pickup can be card, check or cash. Contacts named there are the Building Permit Coordinator and the receptionist, both at 770-830-2000.
The Building and Codes Enforcement page adds that the department schedules construction inspections and answers questions about building, electrical, plumbing and heating/air codes. Its staff hours read 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Neither page says which water damage repairs need a permit, so the question goes to the office before work starts.
City of Carrollton, Licenses and permits
Villa Rica: Building Development on North Avenue
The Building Development Department, at 206 North Avenue, enforces the State Minimum Standard Construction Code. Its page says permits are required for all new structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work, and that repairs, additions and remodeling usually need them too, with some exceptions. It tells readers to check with the department first.
The city's residential packet asks applicants for copies of a Georgia state occupational tax license, a Georgia contractor's license and a driver's license. Listed phone numbers are 678-840-1280 for the director and 678-840-1283 for the administrative assistant.
Whitesburg: no program on its pages
Whitesburg's pages show City Hall, a water department and police, plus a list of outside agencies. They name no permit, inspection or sewer program. City Hall, at 60 Booster Field Drive, lists 770-834-0848 and weekday hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Carroll County's Community Development office lists 770-830-5861 on its building permits page, which covers applications such as building, trade, pool and accessory-building permits. The page does not say whether it applies inside Whitesburg, so a call to City Hall comes first.
City of Whitesburg, Departments
Electrical and gas work comes before drying
Standing in water is the CDC's cue not to touch the power switches, and it wants an electrician to look over the wiring before power returns. NDSU Extension adds that submerged electrical components get replaced, and suggests hiring a professional to replace or recondition the wiring and equipment.
On gas, the CDC's steps are to close the main valve, open the windows and head outside. Georgia 811's page lists Atlanta Gas Light for Carroll County at 877-427-4321.
CDC, Safety guidelines: reentering your flooded home (reviewed 24 Aug 2026)
NDSU Extension, Clean and dry wet buildings quickly, safely (24 Apr 2023)
Photographs for an insurer
Pictures come first in the state insurance commissioner's guidance: photographs or video of the damage before any stopgap repair, receipts for whatever is done to hold things together, and damaged belongings set aside for the adjuster. Permanent repairs ahead of an inspection can lead an insurer to deny the claim.
It also advises calling the agent or the claims hotline promptly, noting the date, name and substance of every contact, and asking the adjuster to itemize any settlement offer. What a policy covers is between the policyholder and the insurer. Calls to the office can go to (404) 656-2070 or (800) 656-2298.
Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, Insurance claim tips
Eight questions for any crew
What is the business's name and street address? Which state license, if one applies, can be looked up by number? Who will do the work, and are subcontractors involved? Is the scope in writing, with the price? Which materials come out, and why? What moisture readings will be taken, and when? The EPA's flood page names 15% or less for materials ready to be refinished. Will photos of the work be shared? For mold, the EPA's advice to anyone hiring is to ask about mold cleanup experience and to check references.
EPA, Flood cleanup to protect indoor air and your health (updated 18 Mar 2026)
Three offices at a glance
| Town | Office | Phone | What its pages list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrollton | Building and Codes Enforcement, City Hall, 315 Bradley Street | 770-830-2000 | Building, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, gas and pool permits, picked up in person by the state card holder |
| Villa Rica | Building Development, 206 North Avenue | 678-840-1280 | Permits for all new structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work; repairs and remodeling usually need them too |
| Whitesburg | City Hall, 60 Booster Field Drive | 770-834-0848 | No permit or inspection program listed; county Community Development lists 770-830-5861 |
Still unsure which paperwork fits?
Name the town and the damage, and pass along anything a crew has already told you. Then call (678) 270-2458. The work itself is laid out in four pairs, and all eight jobs are one click away.