Month: January 2017

What is a Drywall Contractor?

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Thinking about a job in contracting? How about a job as a dry wall contractor. Drywall contractors do the installation and repairs of dry wall in buildings and homes. Drywall is also known as gypsum, wall board, and sheetrock. Drywall contractors work will other contractors and homeowners and business or building owners.

In order to be a drywall contractor, a high school diploma or GED is at least required. People can enter into a drywall apprenticeship program where they will get on-the-job training and classroom instruction that pays them. This program can run from two to four years. Another way to become a drywall contractor is to work for an experienced drywaller, and train with them for up to a year. As time goes on, the person will rise in rank and take on more and more responsibilities.

To become a drywaller, you will need a contractor license. The type of license a drywaller needs varies from state to state. Some states require a general contractor’s license and other states require a specialty license. In order to get the license, a person must have the correct amount of work experience and pass an examination about drywalling and business operations. Some states also require a person to have a college degree related to construction or a minimum amount of college credits. It’s important to find out what the state you work in requires so you will be working legally.

This job is hard, as it is physically demanding; a drywaller has to stand, bend, climb, and lift heavy objects often. On average, objects can weigh 50 to 100 pounds so physical strength and stamina is necessary.

A drywaller can work independently or work with a crew of drywallers. As a business owner (and a drywaller) a business license is needed to practice. Also, many states require drywall contractors to have liabirty and workers’ compensation insurance.

Get a Florida Contractor’s License

Looking to get a Florida Contractor’s License or other state contractor’s license? Look no further! Our team here can help. We specialize in helping our clients get their contractor’s fast, and we make the process so easy. To start the process, click here or call 239-777-1028.

What is a Glass and Glazing Contractor?

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The world of contracting is vast. If you’re interested in working with your hands and jumping into the contractor world, there’s so many specialties to choose from. You are bound to find one you like! For this article, we wanted to focus on one contractor specialty: a glass and glazing contractor.

What does a glass and glazing contractor do exactly? According to the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board, a glass and glazing contractor is a specialty contractor whose services include (but are not limited to) installing, attaching, maintaining, repairing, altering, fabricating, and designing all types of windows, glass, and mirrors in residential and commercial buildings and areas. The windows, glass, and mirrors can be fixed or moveable (such as sliding glass doors).

In the state of Florida, a state certified license is not required to perform non-structural glass and glazing work, which includes the installation of glass and mirrors. If you plan on working with the installation of doors, windows, store-front frames, and structurally anchored things, a contractor’s license is required. Some counties will even require a specialize license specifically for glass and glazing work.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average yearly pay for a glass or glazing contractor is $42,090.

To be a glass or glazing contactor, a person must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Many glass and glazing contractors enter an apprenticeship program to learn the trade; some people learn trades in vocational school, and others just learn the trade under a licensed professional.

A glass and glazing contractor’s duties include things like cutting glass, installing skylights, display glasses, front-entry walls, installation and repair of windows on high-rise buildings, and basic window and door frame glass installation.

Apply for a Contractor’s License

Does a glass and glazing contractor job sound like the job for you? If so, you should think about getting your Florida glass and glazing contractor’s license. We can help make it happen for you. Our team specializes in helping people get their contractor licenses fast and with little stress as possible. We also can help you get your license in other states, as well. To start the license process today, contact us at 239-777-1028 or click here to learn more.

 

 

What is a Pollutant Storage Contractor?

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Contracting is a very lucrative career. A career in contracting has many specialties for a person to choose from. Through training and apprenticeships, a person generally can find their niche in such a large field. For this article, we will focus on a pollutant storage contractor. After reading the details of this occupation, you may have a better idea if this is the right type of contracting work for you.

To become a pollutant storage contractor in the state of Florida, a person must:

  • Be at least 18
  • Have four years of experience in the trade with at least one year of supervisory work
  • Have a four-year construction-related degreed from an accredited college and one year related experience.
  • One year as a foreman and not less than three years of credits from accredited college level courses.
  • One year as a workman, one year experience as a foreman, two years of credits from accredited college courses.
  • Two years as a workman, one year as a foreman, 1 year of any college level courses.
  • Three years of college credit can substitute experience.

Pollutant storage contractors install, maintain, alter, extend, and design pollutant storage tanks. Pollutant storage contractors has knowledge and expertise in pre-installation and site preparation, material handling, excavation, tank installation, leak detection, tank removal, piping, and many other topics within this field. The state of Florida requires 14 hours of board-approved continuing education every two years before the licenses renewal period for certified and registered contractors.

This job is very hands on and requires a lot of physical work. If you think you’d be up for the challenge, try out an apprenticeship with a pollutant storage installation contractor or take a class or two to help you decide. Once you are ready to get your Florida contractor’s license, let us help you. Contractor licensing applications can be tricky and complicated, so just give us all your information and we will do all the hard work for you. We help you get your license fast. To learn more about our services, click here or call 239-777-1028.

What is a Sheet Metal Worker?

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Did you know that a sheet metal worker is a varied and diverse skill and trade? In fact, it’s one of the most diverse. Sheet metal contractors work with lots of different people in different trades on commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. If you enjoy math and laying out plans and designs, this is the contracting job for you.

What does a sheet metal worker do? A sheet metal worker uses sheet metal to construct roofs, gutters, ventilation, siding, heating and AC systems, restaurant equipment, cars, signage, handrails, and many other things that are built with metal. Along with sheet metal, these workers also know how to work with fiberglass and plastic. They are trained in the testing, adjusting, and balancing of mechanical systems.

On the job, sheet metal workers determine the type and amount of materials needed for a specific project or job. Then, they will take the materials and measure, cut, bend, etc. to them to make products.

Here are some other job responsibilities of a sheet metal worker:

Drill holes in metal
Install metal sheets
Fasten seams or joints
Alter parts
Measure and mark dimensions
Select the sheet metal or nonmetallic material
Sheet Metal workers work both in a shop and at construction sites. Sometimes, sheet metal workers maintain equipment. There work can be done in both places but most often on site.

To become a sheet metal contractor in the State of Florida, a person mu pass the Florida Business and Finance exam and the Florida sheet metal exam to get a contractor’s license. There are seminars to help prepare people for the exam. Various levels and combinations of experience is required to get the license.

Think you want to be a sheet metal worker? This job can be very creative. You get to test your mind and physical strength daily. Looking to get your Florida Contractor’s license? We can help you get you license fast and easy. Click here or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

 

W-2 vs. 1099

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The business of W-2 forms and 1099 forms can be confusing. If things aren’t made clear, legal issues can ensue for a contractor or contractor applicant.  There is a difference between W-2 employment and a 1099 paid worker.

If you are being paid by a W-2, the employee is legally employed by the company, so he or she has taxes taken out of his or her pay. Most likely, a W-2 employee is also covered by a worker’s compensation insurance held by his or her employer. However, the previous items to not apply to a 1099 worker or independent contractor.

For employers, a W-2 employee can legally work under their license, since the employer is the license holder responsible for the job and work at hand. A 1099 independent contractor must have his or her own license, and carry his or her own worker’s compensation insurance. Whether a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor, insurance and licenses must be held. If not, penalties and fines can occur to both the worker and employer. Employers should double check to make sure all workers and independent contractors have proper licenses and insurances before any work begins.

If you’re looking to get a Florida contractor’s license, the state accept experience towards the contractor’s license from a person working as a W-2 employee under a licensed contractor, who is properly insured. Any experience, even if it’s several years, cannot go towards the experience needed for a Florida contractor’s license, if the experience came from 1099 work.

Without proper knowledge, many employers and workers, unknowingly, violate the rules above.

If you’re looking to get you Florida Contractor’s license, let us help you. We have been helping people get their contractor’s licenses since 2007. 95 percent of our Florida contractors’ licensing packages get approved the first time. We make getting a license easy, and we do it fat. Click here or call 239-777-1028 to learn more or reach us.

Maximum Workers’ Compensation Rate Goes into Effect January 1

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At Licenses Etc., we believe in sharing important information with our clients and others in the contracting community. Below, wanted to share an announcement from the Florida Department of Financial Services about Florida Workers’ Compensation.

 

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has decided that the statewide average weekly wage paid by employers subject to the Florida Reemployment Assistance Program Law to be $886.46 for the calendar quarters ending June 30, 2016.

 

Subsection 440.12(2), Florida Statutes (2016), expressly provides that, for injuries occurring on or after August 1, 1979, the weekly compensation rate shall be equal to 100 percent of the statewide average weekly wage, adjusted to the nearest dollar, and that the average weekly wage determined by the Department of Economic Opportunity for the four calendar quarters ending each June 30 shall be used in determining the maximum weekly compensation rate with respect to injuries occurring in the calendar year immediately following.

 

Accordingly, the maximum weekly compensation rate for work-related injuries and illnesses occurring on or after January 1, 2017 shall be $886.00.

 

If you have any questions about this rate information or worker’s compensation in general, contact us here at Licenses Etc. We are happy to help. If you’re looking to get your Florida contractor’s license, our team can make the license application process simple and fast. To contact us and get the process started, click here or 239-777-1028.

Zika is an Occupational Hazard

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Zika, the virus, is an occupational hazard. This virus received a lot of attention back in 2016. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika a public health emergency. This was a pretty big deal, considering it was only the fourth time in the organization’s existence that it declared this type of emergency.

Mosquitos with the Zika virus were found in Florida. As a contractor, a lot of jobs are outside; unfortunately, so are mosquitos. Since there is a risk of exposure to these virus-infected insects, contractors need to alert and protect their workers. First, employers need to informer their employees and contractors of the Zika threat, and offer suggestions and training so they can protect themselves. Such suggestions can include what appropriate clothing should be worn on the job; this clothing should cover legs, arms, and all exposed areas of the body. The employer should supply insect repellents to keep mosquitos at bay. If there is standing water at or near the job site, employers need to try and get rid of what they can. Mosquitos breed in still, standing water.

Even though the media has calmed down with their reporting on the virus, it is still out there, and people can still be infected. The level of concern for the virus should not go away until the virus is out of the United States or there is a vaccine or medication that can combat it. More than 100 people in Florida have contracted the virus, and that number will only go higher. Especially in the rainy season, mosquitos will always be more prevalent around people.

Zika gives people flu-like symptoms and it also may cause a birth defect that creates serious developmental problems in babies and even temporary paralysis in adults.

If you’re a contractor in Florida looking to renew or upgrade your license, or if you want to get your Florida contractor’s license for the first time around, call use today. We are a contractor licensing company that offers clients a fast and simple (and streamlined) license application process. Click here or call 239-777-1028 to learn more or start the process today.