How can I find a trusted general contractor in California?

Friends or neighbors who will provide references. And it is really tough.

“It is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle” than to find a reliable and trustworthy general contractor.

I would try Yelp.com/sanjose . I love Yelp and know the website is fantastic for Chicago. You can look for contractors, read what others have to say about them, etc. My only tip, based on what I’ve seen in Chicago, is read the reviews. The stars are nice to limit research, but the reviews are key. You can see what people who wanted the same stuff as you had to say and filter out reviews with no reasoning behind them.

For example: Brother’s Home Improvement seems to have been reviewed by two people who’ve been around Yelp for a while (you can read up on what “Elite” means) and have done a lot of reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/brothers-home-improvement-inc-san-jose

However, this one looks like they made a few fake accounts and went at it – the reviewers all only ever did that one review and it was 5 stars? Give me a break.: http://www.yelp.com/biz/giammona-construction-san-jose-2#hrid:MduILQFDmMBEsfhQbj2GUQ/query:Professional

Anyway, I really love yelp, so I hope it helps you.

You can also try Angie’s List for a fee

I don’t know, but welcome!

You can’t, there are none.

My hubby is a contractor and he’s good but we’re all the way in Bakersfield, although his Mother loves in Palo Alto. He probably wouldn’t be the best choice unless it were a really big job.
When choosing someone you can check their license status at http://www.cslb.ca.gov/ You can also get some limited history info about complaints etc.