Please note that in our field of business there are unlicensed “fly by nighters” that will do some work for you and then disappear. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to that had someone unlicensed do some work for them and now can’t find the person because they have moved on, out of business, phone disconnected, etc.
You may pay a bit more for a licensed contractor but part of what you pay for is the commitment that the person will be there for years to come to support the work they have done and honor their warranty. Hiring a licensed contractor means you have hired a professional that has a serious commitment to their particular line of work and is not likely to do substandard work and then disappear.