To check the validity of a license, call 850-487-1395 or visit www.myfloridalicense.com. Report unlicensed activity.
When you are looking to hire a remodeler or trade associate, choosing a contractor that is licensed is very important. When you use unlicensed workers, it puts your job in jeopardy for several reasons:
Homeowners that hire unlicensed workers could be liable for injuries and damages caused by unlicensed contractors. Many homeowners’ insurance policies exclude claims arising from unlicensed construction practices.
Unlicensed contractors are often uninformed about building codes. Building codes help protect the homeowner and property owner, ensuring the structure worked on meets necessary health, safety and general welfare standards.
Unlicensed contractors cannot pull permits and they often don’t conduct the proper inspections. A permit is required in most jurisdictions for new construction or adding on to pre-existing structures and even for major renovations. It is important that you work with a licensed contractor as they will be knowledgeable about whether or not a permit is needed to legally start a job. If you needed a permit, and your remodeler didn’t pull one, you could be fined and in the worst case scenario, you could be ordered to demolish work completed due to unauthorized building or not meeting mandatory codes. Moreover, inspections need to be performed throughout the construction process and then once the project is finished. Inspections make sure that the contractor’s work complies with local, regional and national building codes.
When dealing with unlicensed workers, there is limited recourse for breach of contract and or defective work.
Unlicensed workers are breaking the law. They are in direct conflict with Florida State Law Chapter 489. Many homeowners and business owners that start remodeling projects forget to ask or don’t know to ask for verification of a license. If you ask for one, the contractor must produce it or that raises serious red flags; look for it on their truck, advertisements, business cards and their web site. Contractors have a legal obligation to include their license number on such materials. On jobs using unlicensed contractors, a cease and desist order to stop the work may be issued. Legal action against the hiring party is also a possibility for aiding and abetting unlicensed activities.
People that hire unlicensed workers typically do it to save money. The reason unlicensed contractors are usually cheaper is because they are not paying for liability insurance or workers’ compensation.
Unlicensed contractors don’t pay taxes; they are breaking the law.
If an unlicensed remodeler or trade associate works on your home, remember, the work they do will not have a warrantee; there is no guarantee that the work was completed properly. Once the contractor walks out the door, so do any assurances that the work will “hold up” or that it was done right – things that shouldn’t “break”, if they do, you are probably out of luck. Most professional, licensed remodelers and trade associates offer warranties to protect the “buyer” against defective work or products.
Associations and licensed professionals lose hundreds of thousands of dollars to unlicensed, uncertified workers every year. Although a license alone does not guarantee competence, it reflects a degree of professionalism and commitment to the industry.
To check the validity of a license, call 850-487-1395 or visit www.myfloridalicense.com. Report unlicensed activity.
In these economic times, there are many individuals who try to hold themselves out as licensed contractors. They usually make promises of quick and inexpensive repairs and require large up-front deposits. When work needs to be done, you should choose a contractor carefully and make sure the contractor is properly licensed and insured.
There are steps that homeowners and commercial project owners can take to help protect themselves from unlicensed contractors. When hiring a remodeler, the hirer should:
To check the validity of a license, call 850-487-1395 or visit www.myfloridalicense.com. Report unlicensed activity.
If you know about unlicensed activity, the best thing you can do is report it. If you are approached by an unlicensed worker; if you observe unlicensed work; if you are suspicious of a contractor, it’s important consumers and industry professionals alike work together to diminish the prevalence of unlicensed activity by speaking up. Unlicensed work puts the owner and their property in jeopardy. Licensed, insured and certified contractors and subcontractors also lose out; these professionals work hard and pay thousands to ensure a superior experience and service for their clients. It’s important to support those that abide by the rules, helping to make the remodeling industry safer and healthier for all.
Check with your local building department or licensing board for licensing requirements and make sure that any contractor you hire is licensed to do the kind of work you are asking to be performed. Remember that not all counties have licensing boards and not all counties license the same trades. Ask whether the contractor or company has a pattern of unresolved complaints.
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