Are You Licensed?
This Often Asked Question Needs To Be Changed.
Anyone with a little time and money can go to their local governmental office and get a license. Licenses are issued every day in California for all sorts of businesses. That is not the license that you are asking about is it? Course not! You want to know if I am licensed as a general contractor in the State of California.
If you plan on hiring a contractor to do some work for you, it is very important that you ask the right questions.
The question needs to be,
Are you a licensed contractor with the State of California?
In order to get a contractor’s license, the contractor has to have had a number of years in the trade, pass a two part test, be bonded, and a few other things take make getting this license difficult. The license helps to insure that the workmanship and understanding of building construction is at a higher level. This is no guarantee, but you have a much better chance of getting a quality job done.
So be sure to be specific when you ask. Legally, if the project costs more than $500, including materials, the contractor needs to be licensed with the state.
The contractor must list his license number on all cards and advertising, so look for it! With that number it is easy to check to see if the contractor is in “good standing” with the State of California. Go to the California State Licensing Board web site, or click here, to check the license number.
The following was found on the CSLB web site and speaks volumes for hiring a licensed contractor.
REMEMBER Most licensed contractors are competent, honest, hardworking and financially responsible. However, most of the problems CSLB sees could be prevented if homeowners knew their home improvement rights and took responsibility for their project. A responsible and informed consumer can work more effectively with reputable contractors, and avoid being victimized by unscrupulous or unlicensed operators.
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