Month: October 2018

In the state of Florida, being an unlicensed contractor is illegal. If you accidently work with an unlicensed contractor, know of someone else who is, or suspect there’s an unlicensed contractor working on a project you know about, you need to report it. Unlicensed contractors give licensed contractors a bad name, and they take away jobs from credible, licensed contractor.

If you’re working with a contractor who fails to do a project as promised, contact them and try to give them a chance to fix the problem. If they don’t fix the problem and/or disappear, there’s a good chance they were an unlicensed contractor.

You can file a complaint against them at your town or county’s sheriff’s office or police department if there is fraud involved. You can also file a complaint with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation by calling 850-487-1395 or visit www.myfloridalicense.com. To report unlicensed contractor activity, visit www.myflorida.com/dbpr/os/and click on “unlicensed activity.” In this section, you can verify a license, file a complaint, and/or search for complaints. You can also file a complaint with your county’s consumer affairs division. You can also file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture Division of Consumer Services – this agency helps people with info, protection, and complaintsin all industries. You can reach them at 800-435-7352 or visit www.800helpfla.com/ccform.html. If you suspect fraud of price gouging, you can call the Florida’s attorney general’s hotline at 866-966-7226.

If you want to look up any lawsuits against a contractor, visit www.clerk-17th-flcourts.org/bccoc2/disclaimer.asp. If you want details on the case, you will have to go to your city or county’s courthouse to read the file.

Reporting an unlicensed contractor will keep you and your community safe from fraud and poor workmanship. If you see something, say something.

If you know someone who would like to become a licensed contractor, our team would love to help them. We are a Florida contractor licensing company who has helped thousands of contractors across the country get their licenses.  We get you licensed fast with little stress! We do most of the work for you. We know what it takes to get the application to go through. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

 

 

With the popularity of DIY TV shows and Pinterest boards, it’s a no-brainer that more people are trying to complete their own projects at home. However, not all tasks should be done by a homeowner. Many projects are dangerous, require expertise, or a permit, and should not and cannot be done by a “regular” person. If it’s a maintenance issue or a vanity project, you will likely be able to do it on you’re on, but if something is very broken or you need a permit, you’ll need to call in a professional.

For this post, we wanted to share with you some things you can do on your own at home:

• Clearing out the gutters
• Changing the furnace filter
• Maintaining locks
• Testing smoke detectors
• Killing/cleaning any mold
• Unclogging toilets and drains
• Painting the walls
• Carpeting the floors
• Hangings shelves
• Cleaning the chimney
• Filling holes in walls

Here are some things you should call on a contractor for:

• Rewiring a room
• Fixing a broken pipe
• Fixing a burst pipe
• Fixing a leak
• Adding an addition
• Renovating a kitchen or bathroom
• Putting in a pool
• Laying down tile
• Putting on a new roof

If you are a novice at home repairs, you may want to consult a contractor for even the smallest task to make sure you do it properly. You don’t want to make matters worse. It’s better to be safe than sorry – call a contractor!

Interested in a contractor license? There’s a lot of job openings right now in the contracting world, so now is the perfect time to enter this field. In Florida, you’ll need your contractor’s license to work legally, and we can help you get it! We are a Florida contractor licensing company who has helped thousands of contractors all over the country get their licenses. We also help contractors get their business license. We can also help you with a contractor license renewal. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

There are bad people in every industry. So, it makes sense why people or homeowners dislike contractors. In a report out of Finland, many people would rather deal with a used-car salesman than a general contractor. So, why do people dislike contractors? As a Florida contracting licensing company, we wanted to share with you some reasons people dislike contractors:

• Poor communication
• Poor quality of work
• Lack of environmental safety
• Messy work site
• Poor site supervision
• Not following the schedule or contract
• Hidden costs
• Not showing up to work
• Not reachable
• Lack of safety gear for workers
• Empty promises
• Lack of communication
• Lack of order
• Project taking much longer than promised

 

To avoid problems with contractors, it’s best to do your research. Find a contractor that clicks with you, your values, your needs, and your budget. Find a reputable contractor who has great references and a great portfolio. Once you find a contractor, sit down with him and come up with plan for your project – communicate effectively. If you both communicate, you will have far less to complain or worry about.

If you have an issue, talk to your contract immediately about it – don’t wait or hesitate! Fix problems before they get bigger or become more frequent.

Hiring a licensed contractor is important, especially in the state of Florida. Unlicensed contractor activity is illegal.

Looking to become a contractor? Know someone who is interested in a career in contracting? We can help make that happen!  In the state of Florida, and many other states, you’ll need your contractor’s license, and we can help you get it! We are a Florida contractor licensing company who has helped contractors all over the country get their licenses.  We make the process easy and fast. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

Relationships are hard – between a husband and wife, mother and child, friend and friend, boss and employee, and contractor and homeowner. It’s easy for people to butt heads on many different topics and decisions. One of the best ways to better any relationship, personal or professional, is to communicate often and effectively. If one or both parties are left in the dark, problems and unhappiness arise.

As a Florida contractor licensing company, we wanted to share with you some common complains homeowners and contractors have with each other during a project.

• Homeowners think their project took too long.
• Homeowners felt their home and yard were made a mess or destroyed.
• Homeowners felt there were too many hidden or additional costs.
• Homeowners weren’t given a proper schedule or the project.
• Homeowners felt left in the dark.
• Homeowners felt like they were doing a lot of the managing of the project.
• Homeowners said the contractor was often late or didn’t show up with no contact.
• Homeowners said contractor didn’t take the time to do the project correctly.
• Homeowners felt the contractor didn’t listen to them or understand their requests.
• Homeowners said the contractor didn’t clean up mess.
• Contractors said homeowners would let their children and pets walk into the project site.
• Contractors said homeowners would call at unreasonable hours.

To avoid these issues, find a contractor you click with and who is very good at communicating. Before the project begins, get everything squared away. Ask about time frames. Ask about pricing. Ask about cleanliness. Ask about schedules. Ask about contact info.

Always keep in touch with the contractor throughout the day and throughout the duration of the project, so both parties are always on the same page. Always speak up if there is a problem, so you can fix it immediately.

Looking to get your contractor’s license? Instead of hiring a contractor, do your home renovation on your own! We are a We are a Florida contractor licensing company who help contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

 

 

Shopping around for a contractor? We know the process can be stressful – there’s a lot to research and think about. You want to hire a quality worker who is licensed, insured, and honest. After you’ve narrowed your search down, you want to start discussing with these contractors the scope of your project and the potential costs.  When dealing with money, there’s a few different terms used: bid, quote, estimate, and proposal. Do you know the difference? If not, we’re here to help.

We’re a Florida contractor licensing company and we help thousands of people get their contractor licenses, so we know this business well. For this article, we wanted to explain these words to you, so if a contractor says them, you’ll know exactly what he is referring to.

Bid – A bid is something submitted to a general contractor by a subcontractor to do part of a project. Abid also refers to a document that offers to do a job at a certain price in a certain time frame.

Quote – A quote is a number the contractor will give you based on numbers from a supplier regarding materials. A quote is usually only good for about a month. After a month, the cost of supplies will change as prices for materials fluctuate due to supply and demand.

Estimate – An estimate is a combined total of the materials and labor to complete a project. An estimate can also include taxes, overhead, subcontracts, equipment, and more. Most estimates are free, but some contractors charge because it takes awhile to put together a good estimate.

Proposal – A proposal is a thorough, detailed document that is submitted to win business. In the proposal, there are quotes and estimates that include price of materials, labor, subcontractor costs, taxes, overhead, and more. A proposal can be a contract if there is a place for the customer/client to sign.

Once you know the difference in these terms and words, you will be able to understand what your contractor is doing and what he will be giving you.

 

Looking to get your contractor’s license? It is a rewarding career and the job market in this industry continues to grow each year. There is a need for licensed contractors, especially with the many natural disasters that occur each year.

We are a contractor licensing company who help contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

 

You’re remodeling your home? Great! Get ready for a beautiful new space. The downside? You will have to live among the construction for a while. Construction sites, even in your own home, can be loud, messy, and dangerous. Although it’s probably only a section of your home being worked on, you want to make sure you keep yourself, your family, pets, and guests safe from the work area.

As a Florida contracting licensing company, we wanted to share with you some safety tips of how to live alongside a home renovation. Being in your home, we know its tough to completely avoid the area, especially if it’s in between other rooms and living spaces.

• Block off the area with tape/tables/boards/etc. to keep people out of the room/area.
• Let your contractor know how many children/pets live in the home, so he knows to keep an eye out for them in case any of them try to wander into the site out of curiosity.
• Have a conversation with your children about the dangers of going into the construction space.
• Schedule time out of the house when the contractor is working with larger equipment, or when big deliveries are expected.
• Don’t leave your children home alone with the contractor. You always need to watch your kids.
• Ask the contractor if any poisonous or hazardous chemicals will be temporarily exposed in the air. If so, schedule to be out of the house at that time.
• Try to have the contractor and his crew enter the house a different way than you and your family.
• Keep your pets in closed other rooms so they won’t distract or get in the way of the contractor.
• At the end of the day, ask your contractor to put hazardous and dangerous materials and tools out of reach.
• Have the contractor secure the work area before he leaves for the day.
• Hand a tarp in the doorway between the work space and the rest of the room to block air pollutants.
• Ask the contractor to do some work outside if possible.
• Eliminate any uncovered rodent droppings found in the construction, so they will not spread sickness and disease.

Remember these precautions when getting your home remodeled. It can be a little frustrating having to live a little differently for a bit, but the outcome of your new renovated home is worth it.

Want to be a contractor? In the state of Florida, you’ll need your contractor’s license, and we can help you get it! We are a Florida contractor licensing company who has helped contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

In every industry, there are good workers and there are bad workers; there are honest people and there are liars. Unfortunately, the contracting world is not immune to bad people. When looking to hire a contractor for a project, it’s in your best interest to do your homework and hire a quality contractor – your home, project, or business is in their hands! Bad contractors make good contractors look bad and have made a lot of people distrust contractors.

You don’t want to be scammed by a bad contractor. As a Florida contractor licensing company, we’ve heard it all, so we wanted to share with you some things and tips to keep in mind for you to spot a bad contractor before you hire them.

• If you are approached by a contractor for a job, there is a good chance this person doesn’t have good intentions. Don’t entertain contractors who home to your home unannounced.
• Do research on contractors in your area. Look for reviews online and call the Better Business Bureau. Call the Department of Business & Regulation in your state and make sure the contractor you’re interested in has a license and carries insurance.
• Ask a question (could be easy or hard) that you already know the answer to (and that the contractor should know too). If the contractor doesn’t know the answer, this is a good sign you should not hire them.
• If a contractor cannot or will not give you references, don’t hire them.
• If your contractor will not give you a written contract, don’t work with them.
• If you’re doing a big job and your contractor refuses to get a permit, he likely isn’t licensed. Stop working with him immediately.
• A quality contractor will set you up with a payment plan and never in cash.

If any of these strange situations or red flags pop up when dealing with a contractor, kindly end your relationship with them and move onto a more reputable contractor. You don’t want to be scammed out of money with a half-finished home.

Looking to get your contractor’s license? Join the thousands of reputable contractors and work in this rewarding industry. We are a Florida contractor licensing company who help contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

 

Looking to build a new home? Renovate your kitchen? Put on an addition? You’ll need to hire a general contractor. Although some thing you can renovate yourself, it’s much easier to hire a contractor who can get permits and knows exactly how to construct a home or room.

We suggest when looking for a contractor that you get a quote from at least three different contractors. You want to see the price ranges and get an idea of their skills. You also want to see if they communicate well and if you click with them.

As a Florida contractor licensing company, we wanted to share some things you should think about while hiring a contractor to build or work on your home.

• Is the contractor licensed? Unlicensed contractor activity is illegal in Florida.
• Make sure your contractor carries liability insurance and worker’s compensation. Accidents happen.
• Ask for references.
• Look at their portfolio.
• Get an estimate and know the scope of work.
• Beware of low bids.
• Can you work with this contractor?
• Do they work alone or with a team?
• How long will this project last?
• Is he/she easy to understand?
• Does he/she communicate well?
• Ask for an itemized bid. You want to see the breakdown of everything from the labor to the materials.
• Ask for a payment schedule that goes along with the project schedule.

These are just a few things to think about when hiring a contractor. You want to hire someone who is trustworthy, experienced, reliable, skilled, and easy to communicate with.

If you know someone who want’s to be a contractor or if you do, we can help make that happen. We are a Florida contractor licensing company who help contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.

If you’re thinking about remodeling your home, you most likely want to hire a contractor. Although many projects around the home can be easy enough to do on your own (carpet installation), bigger projects (building an addition) should be left to professional, licensed contractors.

When looking for a contractor, we suggest looking at 3 or 4 for you to compare. When you meet with the contractor, you will have a consultation with them. The consultation is usually free. During this consult, the contractor will look at the room/space you want to remodel or build. The contractor will listen to your wants and needs and what you envision, as well as what the space will be used for. The contractor will want to know what you’re looking for including: more space, a more modern look, more storage, better layout, better cabinetry, better room flow, etc.

A lot of your ideas may clash or may not be within your budget. The contractor will let you know all that needs to be done to get to your goals. The contractor and his team can help you with all the ideas, including design, to help you map out your ideal space.

During the consultation, you will also learn about the contractor and his company. You will learn who works on the project, past experiences, how long this project should take, what vendors he works with, and more.

In the consult, you will receive an estimate of a budget; the real budget is finalized once you make decisions on materials. With this estimate budget you can tweak things around to better allocate your money. You will be able to decide which things are most important.

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Make sure you see a rendering of your room before you make any final decisions. Make sure you’re working with a contractor that communicates with you well. Make sure you’re working with a licensed contractor who also carries liability insurance and worker’s compensation.

 

Looking to get your contractor’s license and fix up your home? We can help you! We are a Florida contractor licensing company, who have helped thousands of contractors get their licenses. You need a license to work legally in most states.

If you want to get your contractor license or know someone who does, we’re here to help you with the application process. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028.