Hire a Licensed Contractor

Did you know that hiring a licensed contractor will actually save you money and a whole lot of headaches? In this article we discuss ways to protect yourself from unlawful and unlicensed contractors who may be offering their services to you. The cost of buying and owning a home is probably the biggest investment made by most people in their lifetime. Property owners therefore often look for the lowest price when looking to build or remodel a home. Since most unlicensed contractors are not bonded or insured and do not pay into the residential contractors' recovery fund or pay any unemployment compensation for their workers, they can often under bid the licensed professional.

This bottom line may at first be attractive to the property owner, as a way to lower costs and save money. Most of the time, it is not.

Why should I hire a licensed contractor?

Hiring a licensed contractor offers many protections to the property owner, especially regarding residential property. First of all, a contractor cannot obtain a license without possessing a minimum amount of experience and must pass a business management test. The applicant also may be subjected to a criminal history background check, and must not have any unresolved contracting complaints outstanding. Should you experience problems with a licensed contractor, you as a residential property owner have significant protections not available to persons utilizing an unlicensed contractor. Among them is the ability to file a complaint against the contractor's license, in most cases, for a period of two years from the date of occupancy or date the last work was performed. This is your guarantee should the workmanship be below standard or in violation of existing codes. Besides, hiring an unlicensed contractor isn't just a bad idea, it's against the law. With the unprecedented growth in the country, hundreds and even thousands of "would-be" contractors have appeared. People who may have worked as a laborer or a framer for a short period of time decide that they are ready to start their own business. In spite of the fact that they lack sufficient capital and experience, they print up fliers, distribute business cards and place an ad in the yellow pages.

They make every effort to appear legitimate, even though they couldn't be any farther from it. When hired, they will often ask for a large sum of money up front. Sometimes they'll take this money and run after doing little or no work. Most problems with unlicensed contractors come from the poor quality of work that they do, lacking the experience of a licensed contractor. Homeowners find themselves with a mess, as they have no recourse, after already paying for the work and being left with a completed project that is not up to their expectations. The homeowners then often call a licensed contractor to clean up the mess left behind. Avoid these scammers, by checking their license number at the California Contractor's State Licensing Board web site here.Or you can read an interesting article here State Contractors Board Targets Unlicensed Operators in Marin County Undercover Operation.

You canverify the contractors licenseby checking online or via CSLB's automated phone service at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752)

Here are some interesting examples from the CSLB:

Cabinet remodeling turns into costly ordeal
KGO
9/18/09
"This company absolutely would have to have a contractors' license it spells it out there it's going to include installation there's even an hourly charge and total estimated cost," said Rick Lopes from the Contractors' License Board.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=7021637

22 Unlicensed Contractors Busted in Yolo Sting
George Warren -- KXTV
9/17/09
Nearly two dozen unlicensed contractors who placed an ad for work found themselves in handcuffs during a two-day sting operation.
http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=67087&catid=2

State board agents nab unlicensed contractors ... on Fridays, too
Jon Ortiz -- Sacramento Bee
9/18/09
The Contractors State License Board conducted five undercover unlicensed contractor sting operations around the state Thursday, including one in Sacramento and another in Woodland. More about those operations in a second.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/the_state_worker/

State, county bust illegal contractors
Melody Stone -- Woodland Daily Democrat
9/18/09
Several unlicensed contractors were arrested in Woodland on Tuesday and Wednesday during a Contractors State License Board sting.
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_13365466

Sting nets unlicensed contractors in Monterey
Larry Parsons -- Monterey County Herald
9/18/09
A two-day sting Wednesday and Thursday in which agents for the Contractors State License Board posed as homeowners seeking work done netted 28 suspects accused of violating contracting laws, authorities said Thursday.
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_13365287?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Sting Sends 28 Unlicensed Contractors to Court
KCBA
9/18/09
This week, The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT), along with the Monterey Police Department, conducted a sting operation in Monterey.
http://www.kcba.com/Global/story.asp?S=11156325

Unlicensed contractors caught in Inland sting
Leslie Berkman -- Riverside Press Enterprise
9/18/09
Twenty-three unlicensed contractors were apprehended earlier this week in Riverside in an undercover sting operation by the Contractors State License Board.
http://www.pe.com/business/local/stories/PE_Biz_S_localbizbriefs18.3cff343.html

More than 100 contractors nabbed in statewide sting
Central Valley Business Times
9/17/09
Four different stings by the Contractors State License Board across the state this week have netted 103 would-be contractors for apparent violations of state contracting laws.
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=13103

Monterey sting targets unlicensed contractors
Monterey County Herald
9/17/09
Police assisted a fraud team for the Contractors State License Board in the operation.
http://www.montereyherald.com/breaking/ci_13359069

Sting Operation Nets 28 Unlicensed Contractors
KIONrightnow.com
9/17/09
Several unlicensed contractors are f acing charges due to a sting opperation conducted by Monterey Police and the Contractors State License Board .
http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=11150527

Is Your Painting Contractor Licensed? You Better Hope So.
Pro Commercial Painting Contractors
9/18/09
This action was the result of a sting operation by The Contractors State License Board Statewide Investigative Fraud Team and aided by the Monterey Police. The unlicensed contractors could receive a jail term of 6 months or a fine.
http://procommercialpaintingcontractors.com/commercial-painting/is-your-painting-contractor-licensed-you-better-hope-so

Station Fire near L.A. now 93 percent contained
Desert Sun
9/17/09
As fire crews approach full containment of the monthlong blaze, officials with the Contractors State License Board warned people in the burn zone to be wary of unlicensed contractors who could take advantage of them.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090917/NEWS0806/90917011/Station+Fire+near+L.A.+now+93+percent+contained

State warns of scam artists in fire zone
Amy Powell -- KABC
9/16/09
A team of workers from the Contractors State License Board board fanned out in the Angeles National Forest in the Tujunga area, posting signs near homes destroyed or damaged by the Station Fire.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7018212

Authorities seek to warn Station fire victims about illegal contractors
Robert J. Lopez -- Los Angeles Times
9/16/09
We do everything we can to make sure these homeowners aren't victimized a second time, said contractors board Registrar Steve Sands.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/authorities-seek-to-warn-station-fire-victims-about-illegal-contractors.html

Head of Palos Verdes-based company arrested in New Orleans fraud case
Jason Felch -- Los Angeles Times
9/18/09
In California, the Contractors State License Board has referred three cases to the attorney general, which will file a complaint seeking revocation of Paramount's license in the coming weeks, said Deputy Atty. Gen. Jim Ledakis.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-disaster18-2009sep18,0,1052039.story

Building Contractors Need State License
Almaden Times (on Almaden Valley Lawyers Web site)
9/17/09
I have a small business of kitchen and bath remodeling. Unfortunately,
my license expired a while back and I have been too busy, despite the
recession, to get it renewed. Since my business is so small, can I get
along without a contractor's license for a little while? Can I just
have the homeowners sign a waiver after I point out everything to them?
I am bidding on a job right now and it may work out quite well for me.
http://almadenvalleylawyers.typepad.com/almaden_times_articles/2009/09/building-contractors-need-state-license.html

Lamberts rap sheet long
Nathan Donato Weinstein Auburn Journal, Roseville Press Tribune
9/17/09
The license of Lamberts company, Foothill Pool & Spa, has been expired since 2007. The Contractors State License Board lists the company is facing disciplinary action due to a complaint against it.
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/129887.html?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&user_id=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&event_ts_to=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=

Employee of fire firm accused of fraud arrested
John Scheibe -- Ventura County Star
9/15/09
The California State Contractors Board issued a statewide consumer alert in July after a judge suspended the companys contractors and business licenses.
http://www.venturacountystar.c om/news/2009/sep/15/man-accused-of-impersonating-fire-marshal/

Man accused of impersonating fire official, shaking down immigrant businesses
Raja Abdulrahim -- Los Angeles Times
9/14/09
In July, the companys state license was suspended for questionable business practices.
Thorp urged businesses whose extinguishers may have been serviced by Castillo to have them checked out. The investigation is ongoing and investigators are looking for other businesses that may have been targeted by Castillo, Thorp said.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/man-accused-of-impersonating-fire-official-shaking-down-immigrant-businesses.html

Be sure to check out our other entries in the concrete blog here.

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