BATON ROUGE – City-Parish officials are urging residents to use licensed contractors and to check their credentials before they perform their construction work as repairs and rebuilding are in full swing following the August flood.

To determine whether or not a contractor is licensed, residents can go to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors website here or by using the app and clicking on the "Contractor Search" button. Residents can search for the contractor's name or license number and filter results by the parish of the contractor.

Residents should also secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction materials. According to the City-Parish, reconstruction materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews.

Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors representatives also recommend for residents to require a written contract with a licensed contractor for any work, including a clause about the disposal of construction materials as a part of their contractor's scope of work.

The LSLBC also advises residents not to make a large down payment when hiring a contractor, to avoid making cash payments and not to make a final payment until the work is complete.