Newbie Question

DAK

Hey guys, I know you have to be a contractor to be a member of this site but I'm not quite there yet.

My question is how old do you have to be to get a building/general contracting lisence (sp?) and where and how much does it cost?

Thanks guys

Dan

maj

Welcome Dan! What state are you in?

Jonesey

Depends on where you live. Some states don't require licensure, some do. Either way, save up and get your insurance straightened out. Spend some time working for someone else in the field you're interested in. Do what you can to grow your skills and become knowledgable across the spectrum of construction.

The one thing I wish I had done when I was younger was to find out the history of my trade, and learn how to do things by hand. That's where you can add value. Anybody can frame a wall, but it takes a skilled craftsman to build a highboy and gold-leaf it.

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Jones Painting Feel the difference service makes

DAK

i live in tn and i want to be a general contractor but lately i have been working for a brick mason

maj

Yeap, Tenn. requires licensure. Maybe realpurty2 will be around to help. She's in Tenn.

cssconstruct

hello from a knoxville tn gc.. Yes you will need a lic.
1) Figure out which lic. you want. (res ,commercial, res/small commercial)
2) There is an absolute mountain of paperwork to fill out. If I remember the application is like 15 pages thick.
3) Take the required tests. You will take the business and law section, and you will take the exam that is specific for what you are specializing in.
4) Assuming you pass your test, , get your wc and liability, and a cpa. You will need the cpa to sign off on your financial statement for your monetary limit on your lic.
5) Depending on your experience and test scores you might have to go to memphis to be interviewed before they will give you a lic.
6) Do not and I repeat do not build or contract out until you have your lic. Our state is lax about somethings, but they have gotten serious on this issue.
7) Good luck in your endeavors!

joasis

If the Oklahoma Home Builders Association Lobby gets its way, Oklahoma will be there in January.....and it will really protect the public and cost me another $4000 a year...guess that is progress.

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Double-A

That's another fifteen dollars a workday, joasis, or about $1.93 an hour over 8 hours. Sounds like an adjustment to your labor burden is in order.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

cssconstruct

joasis,
The one thing out of the whole process that griped me was the cpa thing. They charged $1200.00. to look at my bank statement and state that yes I did have x amount of dollars. The letter they gave me stated that "we have reviewed Mr. Smith's bank statement and concur that he has x amount of dollars" What kind of crap is that. I'm going to start going out to jobsites and go "yep, that's a house!" My bill will be here on Wed. I would have rather taken the money out back, and lit it on fire.

Double-A

Is this your regular CPA that did this for you? If so, I think I'd fire his butt. I don't mind paying for great service and a job well done, but $1200 seems over the top for reviewing a bank statement. Ask him for a T&M breakdown on this service.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

kid creole

DAK

thanks man.

so is there a certain age limit like 21+ or does age matter. also I was wondering what you have to have a cpa look at you bank account for. do you have to have x amount of dollars to be a contractor? thanks

dan

DAK

also does llc mean legally liscensed contractor? thanks

dan

Double-A

Limited Liability Company. One type of company structure. S Corp or C Corp are two others.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

maj

Good guess though, but would that be opposed to Illegally Licensed?

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joasis

What really burns me isn't the money...it is the attitude...I have met a few of the primma donnas that profess to be the experts in contracting..and one of the board members has NEVER built a home...not one! He is a home improvement hack who got into punch list work for a builder and graduated to the buddy system.

Yep...$15 per workday...and I get to be a jerk, call in on the hacks, let people see my books who have no business in knowing what I do...go to the continuing education classes (drunk conventions or bitch sessions), pay for the dues, attend 6 out of 12 meetings.....and the final insult is the state is following the recomendations of the association without fault......half the members are builders...not contractors...meaning they conctract out the entire process and couldn't frame a dog house if they had to.....what a joke...

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Jonesey

Wow, Joasis, I hadn't even caught wind of this yet. Where can I find more info? Are they going to license GC's or all trades like they did Electric and Plumbing?

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Steve Jones
steve@jonespaintingonline.com
Jones Painting Feel the difference service makes

DAK

so is there a age limit. also josia, is it bad that some people contract out an entire house? just think without those people, how would you find business. not trying to start anything just not everyone is ment to actually build a house.

dan

cssconstruct

Dak,

I do not think that there is an actual age limit, other than being over 18. However, in your application you have to list years in the trade, who you have worked for, and references. The older you are the more you will be able to put. Someone like joasis would never even have to interview here based upon the experience that he has. Sorry about the lic. thing, the word license is one word that I always have trouble spelling so I shorten it to lic.
You have to have a cpa sign of on your stuff because your license is based upon a monetary amount. If you want a 450,000 dollar limit you need at least 10% of that in either cash, equipment or other capital.

joasis

Sorry I don't have a definitive answer to that Jonesey. I was reading this in the paper a few weeks ago, and it said nothing about definitions on who will be affected..it was focused more on the home builders trade....and of course, GCs. It is going to be studied (or is being studied) for debate in the fall legislative session, so I would imagine we will have answers then. It is something to be aware of, and not panic over. You might want to think about getting to know a builder or two that is in the association (oklahoma home builders . com) or something like that, so you will know. I have not decided if I will join because I don't like to pay $600 a year in dues and the political games they play, but oh well. Nothing for me changes except the bond amount, and allowing the association to also "audit" me for compliance.

I would guess, based on what other states do, it will be licensing at all levels....I'm sure there will be a category for roofers alone, and maybe siding and window installers...and beyond that, I don't know.

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