Working Without License?

FGonzales

yes, now what if the owner knows you are unlicensed, and want to use you because they now you will charge WAY less than an unlicensed plumber. Do you still have to keep the job under $500?

FGonzales

ddd

skyhook

Look it up. The 500$ law only means the state will not waste its resources going after small time contractors. Nothing says it's OK to do the job.

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PARA1

I would just like to say, you guys in
CA doing things the right way deserve the best and I hand it to you because from what I've read in this forum you guys get screwed on a daily basis.

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YESTER DAY IS HISTORY, TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY http://paradiseplumbinganddrains.com...bers-dallas-tx

JumboJack

In California that's not true.You CAN do jobs legaly and with out a license
if the total cost (labor and parts) is less than 500.00...

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in texas with framing and cornish people will do it for 3.00 a foot. What do yall think about that? Just laber

The plumber

injury and death can be and actually have been the result of unqualified individuals improperly installing, repairing, or inspecting a potable water supply, sewage disposal system, natural gas supply, hospital medical gases, or the venting of carbon monoxide fumes and other noxious gases from water heaters and similar fixtures.

Pasted from Texas state board of plumbing website. I know it's not cali, but death is a pretty serious mess up in any state
This is why we have the plumbing license!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CNC

In CA doesn't it say on the list of qualifications you have to have 4 years of experience as a journeyman? Not just in the trades? Pretty strict now a days and it makes it hard that is more then experienced to get a license . There's genius 12 year olds graduated from stanford but someone with 5 years electrical experience and great business skills can't get licensed? I mean people catch on quick. i have seen 21 year olds do better work then 21 year vets. Am i wrong?

send_it_all

This is all true. You can also advertise for these small jobs as long as the advertisement states that you are unlicensed. Lots of handymaen get around the $500 law by just dividing the job up into several >$500 invoices.

I was just talking to someone today about this. I see handymen all the time driving around in nice new trucks with nice trailers painted to match said truck with all kinds of advertising on the side of the trailer that says.."Handyman Services. Kitchens, Baths, Room Additions, Etc." Not a License # to be found anywhere on it. (License # is required on all advertising if you are licensed) HTF can they be advertisinf for room additions if they are not licensed and they are only supposed to be doing jobs under $500?????!!!

To me, it's the same as a drug dealer driving around with "I sell Cocaine" on the side of his car...yet, I see it every day, and nobody does s**t about it!

WTF, over?

woodmagman

The largest investment the average family is going to make is their home….should a broker be entitled to invest another persons money without the correct credentials. Should a doctor be able to write prescriptions without a medical degree? There are no short cuts in life except those that wish to become ambulance chasers or scab workers…The average weekend warrior does enough damage to their own home without paying an uncertified individual to do it for them..forget the insuance...your not qualified.

Amber

I just want to say as a Californian I have come to believe that we carry the largest pool of law suit happy individuals. That's why our insurance is so much higher. I would not take the risk.

220/221

It's $750 in AZ (entire job).


I spent MANY years unlicenced and uninsured. For a few years in the mid 80's commercial electrical contractors were not required to have a licence, strange but true.

It's much better to be legit but in the old days if I made $750, $500 of it went in my pocket.

DobsonConstruct

I think you guys forget where you came from and so does the State of (your state here).This guy is just starting...he's not a scab or one of those hook and run contractors. He knows he has to start small on what he knows, probably borrowed from his parents or wifes parents a couple bucks and wants to strike out. Florida has these incredible requirements for licensing. $10,000 cash and $20,000 in assets to start!!!! where would one of your lead carpenters get this amount if he wanted to strike out on his own?!

The guys frustrated because in most states, the homeowner (as long as its a single family dwelling) can do the electrical and plumbing(no public water supply) and all the carpentry. He has to wait for a license and cough up money for insurance and tools and and and...then the state says 10% up front is all you can take(30% in MA by the way) We know the odds are he'll fail in one year, if not he wont make it past 5 years and he'll be out of business 2 years before he knows it. Yea...the insurance is worth every penny(if you have them), yea...workers comp ties you into contracts with larger construction companies (that have a whole new way of screwing you over in the fine print)...then finally he'll find his nitch...the bottom line....Only work on what you know not what you think you can handle...stay small and eat-up the crap most of us wouldnt do.. IE one storm door installed, patch in kids room drywall...and stay away from the obvious...roofs....crap falls and hits people or cars only when you dont have insurance, water leaks in only on new imported couches. stick to small stuff and save...as soon as you can, buy liability ins before any new tools and pay your vendors first

kgphoto

Technically, they cannot divide a job into smaller parts to get around the $500 dollar limit. That is specifically prohibited. Also, on a large project with a GC, you cannot hire an unlicensed painter to do just the painting of the garage, because the whole job is over $500.00.

Yeah, I don't see how they can advertise for the big jobs, unless they set up a formal employer/employee relationship with the owner and do an owner builder permit. IF they do that, they have to have the W-2's and withholdings, etc.

If you, as an owner, hire an unlicensed person, the CSLB can't help you if there is a problem with that work. They can suggest you take them to small claims and try to get a business and professions violation from the city, but that is all. They have no leverage over the unlicensed person. They can also fine them for contracting without a license if they catch them at it.

L. B. Condulet

This is no longer required. SB 1914 repealed the requirement that there be a "non licensed contractor" declaration in any ads or documents.

220/221

I agree. You should NEVER forget where you came from.

GSE

The lawmakers in cal must be be on some good drugs, or the drugs have already done the damage, they thinking must be protect the consumer that pays over $500, and don't worry about anyone paying under $500.

GSE

What is your idea, anyone that wants to do contracting should just dive in , and ignore any laws or requlations, that other law abiding people have to follow. that sounds like a good example to teach! If someone does not have the money to enter a business, they can wait until they have the funds, like anyone else. No they want, change the laws for me, because i don't agree with them.

Floordude

That is a rich get richer, & poor get poorer, stance on licensing.

I guess they want you to have the cash/assets to pay for a screw up.

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KillerToiletSpider

Why not just require a bond?

In Chicago you have to be bonded to one million dollars in liability to be a plumbing contractor.

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A flush is better than a full house.

L. B. Condulet

Just so we all know the difference between insurance and a bond.

1. When your insurance pays a claim, they are out the money.
2. When your bond is used to pay a judgment, you must pay back the bonding company.