Licensed general contractors have the following advantages over non-licensed contractors or handymen. 1) They have insurance and bond that covers any potential damage to them or to the homeowner – saving you potentially thousands of dollars. 2) They generally do the work to updated modern building code, which they are required to keep up to date with. 3) They can pull any necessary permit under their business and insurance. 4) They generally have a larger online presence, so they painstakingly guard their reputation and have a higher incentive to keep customer happy, otherwise they lose valuable business!