Florida Contractor Forum

As a contractor licensing company, we work with contractors daily. We like to share important information with them. Since we help so many people become contractors, we thought that we’d share some statistics about the industry in the last few years.

• 7% of the total U.S. GDP was in construction.
• 77% of construction spending occurred in the private sector in 2018.
• Construction spending in the United States was at $1.23 trillion in 2017
• 14% in spending on home improvement projects in 2017.
• 6 million people worked in the construction industry in 2017.
• 15% of construction firms have more than 1,000 people on staff.
• $29.95 was the average hourly wage of construction workers in 2017.
• 52% of construction employees were born between 1960 and 1979.
• 32% of construction employees were born after 1980.
• 91% of construction workers are male.
• 89% of construction workers are white, 30% are Hispanic/Latino, 6% are black/African American, and 2% are Asian.
• 20% of construction occurs in NY, Dallas, Houston, LA, and Washington, D.C.
• The top 5 states renting equipment are California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.
• 64% of on-the-job-fatalities occurring from falls, electrocution, getting hit by an object or getting crushed.
• 1,034 fatalities occurred in 2016.
• 75% of construction firms promote themselves on social media.
• 37% of construction firms experiment with drones.
• 11% of contractors use wearable technology.
• Commercial construction brought in $85 billion in 2017, up 11% from 2016.
• 35% of construction-related companies increased their staff numbers in 2017.
• 82% of contractors agree that BIM (Building Information Modeling) is the future of project information

Want to be part of a growing and thriving industry? You’ll need to have your contractor license. It is illegal to work as a contractor without a license in many states.

We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have contractors across the United States get their contractor license.

We submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor’s license  page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

If you’re a contractor, you need liability insurance. If you don’t have it, make sure your boss does and that it covers you. For one, liability insurance will give you peace of mind that if something bad happens, you won’t be at fault and you will be covered. Second, you are likely to be hired by more people. Many clients don’t want to take on a contractor who doesn’t carry insurance as too many problems could arise.

Liability insurance helps protect business owners, contractors, and homeowners from liability related to on-job accidents, products, and other forms of liability like contractual liability.

It is in your best interest to purchase contractor liability insurance. This insurance protects the contractor, the business, or the assets of the business when it’s being sued. If you don’t carry this insurance, you may not be hired for many jobs. With this insurance, a homeowner or business owner feels protected, and can see that you took measures to protect yourself and them.

You can often bid for work without this insurance but are unable to work without it. Contractor’s liability insurance doesn’t protect contractors again poor workmanship or construction defects.

This type of insurance is important because claims against contractors happen and can be very expensive. You don’t want to pay this out of pocket!

Contractor liability insurance isn’t required by Florida, but many counties do require it. In Florida, covered claims can include bodily injury, property damage, negligence, personal injury, general damages, compensatory damages, and damage from slander or false advertising. In Florida, most companies consider this insurance essential. By contacting the county that you’re working in, you can find out if insurance is required.

What liability insurance should you purchase? Research different insurance companies and ask peer contractors what companies they’re using and why. Look at these company’s ratings.

Ask for quotes to compare. For general and building contractors, these are the minimum amounts for liability insurance are around: $300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage. Make sure you receive proof of insurance from whichever insurance company you choose to go through. This certificate of insurance usually needs to be shown before you can start a job or needs to be at the job site. Ask the company for the original certificate and not a copy.

Protecting yourself as a contractor is important – you will save money and stress less. Even though it’s not required by the state, you are better of being insured.

If you have questions about general liability insurance, looking to apply or renew your Florida contractor’s license or need help forming or running your business, our Florida contractor licensing  team can help make the process easier and faster.

Please call us at 239-777-1028 to get help from us right away or click our Florida contractor license page to learn more.

Want to be a contractor? There are a few things you need to do prior to becoming a contractor. You must take a contractor’s license exam. In the state of Florida, a contractor must pass this exam in order to be a licensed general contractor.

In Florida, a licensed certified contractor applicant must have passing score on all the parts of the Florida DBPR/BET qualifying examination, be at least 18 years old, meet educational and experience requirements, pay all applicable fees, obtain work’s compensation coverage, demonstrate financial responsibility, and have good moral character.

There are a lot of tests, and you must make sure to take the proper tests that will make you eligible for your license. Most exams are open book. In Florida, the test is around $215, which includes all fees.

How do you prepare for the exam? You can study on your own. There are books and reference materials suggested by the state. The PSI Online Bookstore and iContractor.net are third-party booksellers of contracting-based books. There are also several organizations online that offer web-based practice exams and courses. Organizations like Dewalt and PSI Learning Academy offer practice exams for the tests. Some home-study based courses in Florida include Cam Tech School and Gold Coast Schools.

If you need or prefer to learn and study in a classroom setting, there are schools across the country that offer courses and tutoring for specific exams. Some schools and bookstores in Florida include: AES, 4EzExam.com, Sane Fe College, Gulf Coast School of Construction, KCC Estimating & Construction Services, Inc., Florida International University, Contractor’s Library in Hudson, and more.

Once you pass the contractor’s exam, it’s time to apply for your contractor’s license. We can help get you licensed for any specialty. We can make the contractor licensing process faster and easier for you.  We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor license.

We will complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board for you.

To get your contractor license, click our contractor license fl page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) continue to grow each year. In fact, the industries are expected to have a total revenue of $150 billion in 2020, which is a big increase from $5.2 billion in 2016.

VR is a computer-generated simulation of a real-life environment. It stimulates the user’s vision and hearing like they are directly experiencing simulated reality. AR blends digital components into the real world. Users interact with virtual things while still being able to distinguish between real and virtual.

AR and VR facts:

• 6o to 70% of consumers see benefits in using AR devices in life or at work.
• AR and VR will become important tools in the workplace:
  • Training will be more engaging
  • Training will be more time efficient
  • Training will be less expensive
  • Training will be more visually accurate
  • Training will be safer
• Team meetings can be more effective and productive by using a 3D display for data visualization in a virtual environment.
• There will be improved quality for video conferences.
• Can be used to experience different scenarios and environments.
• Can help employees learn and acquire more skills.
• This technology helps businesses invest in employees.
• Geographical locations won’t be relevant when applying to jobs.
• Remote staff can be brought together easier.
• Trainings, interviews, and meetings can be made easier.
• It can give designers and architects and contractors a more exact idea of what a project will look like.
• It can enhance product and project design since physical presence isn’t required for feedback.
• Smaller production costs since the project.

As the AR and VR industries grow, more construction companies are using them for their projects. Want to use these technologies on the job? Become a contractor! We can help make you a licensed contractor.

Remember, you need a contractor license to work legally. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have contractors across the United States get their contractor license.

We submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Fraud, unfortunately, occurs in every industry. It may not be entirely avoidable but there are things a contractor or construction company can to help prevent some incidences from occurring. Often, companies do not catch fraud early on because they have too many employees, projects, sites, supplies, and more, going on that they are unable to see the signs of fraud.

In the construction industry, people can be fraudulent by stealing time, whether they leave early, show up late, or take too many or too long of breaks. People also can alter time sheets and get paid for time they didn’t work which can cost a company money. How can you prevent this? Security cameras can help show when employees are truly clocking in and out to see if timesheets are accurate.

The construction industry can be full of dangerous jobs and some employees steal from companies by faking injuries. With an injury, an employee can get paid without doing work, so people fake injuries to get paid for something nothing. Reporting injuries causes a company’s workers compensation benefits to increase.  Security cameras at job sites will be able to record if an employee actually harmed themselves on the job.

Some subtractors will overbill for work that wasn’t performed. The best way to prevent fraudulent subcontractors is to find one with good recommendations/reviews and one with a license and proof of insurance.

Other ways to prevent fraud in the workplace:

• Conduct background screenings.
• Monitor activities of the business – have multiple people do this.
• Review invoices.
• Review itemized payment applications.

Fraud can be common in construction, which is why it should never be a shock to anyone. You want to do as much as you can to prevent fraud, so you won’t lose or fall behind financially. While it is amazing how common fraud is in the construction field, it shouldn’t be of any surprise to any company.  That is why every company will want to make sure that they have all their bases covered, so that they do not suffer needlessly while losing revenue in the future.

Looking to get your contractor license? As a contractor licensing company, we can help you get your contractor license in any state. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get licensed. It is illegally in many states to work unlicensed. You will find jobs faster and be trusted more easily with a license.

After speaking with you by phone or email, we will help you complete your contractor license application and will send it to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf to get you approved.  We do the work for you and let you know what we need from you in order to complete the application correctly.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to get started with us or call us at  239-777-1028.

Corruption exists in all industries. Unfortunately, corruption is higher in construction than any other sector of the economy. It is estimated that there are 10-30 percent losses through corruption yearly for the construction industry.

Reasons why corruption can happen easily and occurs a lot in the construction industry:

• The size of the industry’s projects, which are often big, creates a bigger opportunity to inflate costs.
• Inflating costs is easier to hide since all projects are so unique.
• With many contractual links, there are many opportunities for bribery.
• Control and oversight can be difficult when many different tasks are outsourced.
• Complex projects allow for mistakes to be hidden easier.
• Companies learn to adapt to bribery and corruption to keep up with their competition.
• There is space for corruption when there is a lack of due diligence.
• Each profession and trade have different codes of conduct and practices.
• There is not one single organization that is responsible for the industry.
• There’s not a lot of transparency, historically, in the construction field.
• Public companies have more control of the market so it’s harder for private companies to compete.
• Worker’s poor jobs can be easily hidden under layers of other materials.
• When there is a lack of projects, there is a higher risk of bribery.

There’s a lot of money in construction – it’s worth more than $3.2 trillion a year and the global output is $17.5 trillion roughly. Many constructors don’t want to be a part of the corruption but feel pressured to, especially when competition is doing it.

Just like with fraud, you can prevent corruption by being transparent and open with all business you do.
The construction industry is a growing, exciting place – and contractors are in high demand. Need to get your contractor license? As a contractor licensing company, we can help you get your contractor license in any state.

We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get licensed. Do not practice without a license – it is illegal in most states to work as a contractor with no license.

After speaking with you, we will help you put together your contractor license application and will send it to the Construction Licensing Board in your state on your behalf to get you approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to get started with us or call us at  239-777-1028.

Construction Unions have been around in the United States since the 1935. In 1935, the Federal Labor Relations Act gave U.S. workers the right to have collective bargaining rights. Since then, unions appeared and grew.

Most construction trades have unions and your trade (as a contractor) usually determines what union you will be in. The union guarantees training that will help increase a contractor’s pay, pension plan, and access to job opportunities.

Here are the top/most popular construction unions:

Laborers’ International Union of America – This union, also known as the Laborer’s Union, was formed in 1903; it has more than 500,000 members in nine regions. This union was one of the first unions to create a plan to help improve health and safety of workers and drug/alcohol rehabilitation programs.

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America – This union was founded in 1881 and it has more than 500,000 members in the North American chapter. For years, they fought for increased wages, sickness/death benefits and eight-hour work days

United Association of Journeyman and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting, and Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada – This union was founded in 1889  and its membership has grown a lot after World War II.

Sheet Metal Workers International Association – This union began in 1888. This union is fo anyone in the trade of architectural sheet metal work, heating and air conditioning work, shipbuilding, appliance construction, specialty parts manufacturing, heater and boiler construction, and any other job using sheet metal. In 2004, they merged with the United Transportation Union to become the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, known as SMART.

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades – This union began in 1887 and has 160,000 members who are painters, glaziers, floor installers, glass workers, drywall finishers, wall coverers, and more.

Unions exist in the construction industry because it is a difficult and dangerous job, so it ensures workers are getting the right benefits they deserve.

As a contractor, you can join a union and fight for your rights and benefits, so you can have a successful career. Looking to get your contractor license? We can help

We are a contractor licensing company helping thousands of contractors across the United States. We are based in Florida.

After speaking with you by phone or email, we will complete the contractor license application for you and will mail it off to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf to get you approved. We get our clients approved fast.

To get your contractor license, click our Fl contractor license  page to get started with us or call us at  239-777-1028.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t solely the future…it’s here. The construction industry and all forms of contractor work are slowly adopting AI into their practices. AI is now seen as a norm, it’s not “sci-fiction” like once seen years ago. Each year, AI technology continues to evolve and advance.

In the construction industry, there is a lot of potential to use AI, especially on projects that require careful handling or tedious work. Repetitive tasks can be automated through AI and human error can decrease. AI can help people save time, monitor progress of wok, identity errors and risks, and send alerts. Overall, AL can help reduce or avoid problems or unnecessary costs.

Besides the reasons listed above, we wanted to share more ways AI is being used in the construction field.

• AI is being used for risk assessment. AI is making risk assessment faster and more accurate because AI can compile lots of data and analyze it and access construction risk factors.
• AI is being used to boost productivity through construction management software by monitoring and supervising operations from brickwork to flooring. AI systems can alert when there are problems and show corrective steps.
• AI is being used for safety. AI looks for risk factors and reports them.
• AI is being used for documentation – it makes it accurate and accessible with a lot less errors.
• AI can take stock of inventory.
• AI comes in the form of robots which can help eliminate accidents and injuries.

AI continues to change in the construction industry. More solutions are being made to improve communication, security, and more.

Looking to be part of an advanced industry? Want to work with AI technology? Become a contractor! To be a contractor, you need to be licensed to practice legally, like in the state of Florida.

We are a contractor licensing company, who has helped thousands of contractors get their contractor license. We are based in Florida but help clients all over the United States.

We will complete the contractor license application for you and will mail it off to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf to get you approved. We get our clients approved fast.

To get your contractor license, click our Fl contractor license  page to get started with us or call 239-777-1028.

There are so many different types of contractors – plumbing, electrical, HVAC, general, etc. For this article, we wanted to focus on mechanical contractors and share a little bit about the job.

According to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, a mechanical contractor is a contractor who offers services that are unlimited in “the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in connection with a complete system if such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an air-distribution system, boiler and unfired pressure vessel systems, lift station equipment and piping, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system.”

If you’d like a more in-depth, descriptive definition of what a mechanical contractor is defined by the state of Florida, click Florida mechanical contractor. This site will also tell you when a license is needed for this profession or not.

A mechanical contractor is a type of engineer who takes existing systems and redesigns them so they work better. Mechanical engineers exist in all industries including NASA, food processing, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and more. Mechanical contractors design, manufacture and handle the operation of certain components or devices that are created by mechanical engineers. Mechanical contractors figure out problems and fix them.

For the most part, employers prefer mechanical contractor applicants with a postsecondary education and those who go through an apprenticeship Many get a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. Mechanical contractors have to take exams to get their license.

To be a mechanical contractor, advanced math and mechanical skills are necessary, as well as problem-solving skills, listening skills, communication skills, and creativity skills.

Licensing requirements vary state to state for mechanical contractors.

In 2015, the average pay for a mechanical contractor was $45,110 a year. In 2014, there were 292,000 mechanical contractors in the United States. From 2014 to 2024, it is predicted that there will be a 14 percent increase in the number of mechanical contractor jobs available.

A mechanical contractor can work in aircraft mechanics, sheet metal mechanics or structural mechanics or HVAC technology.  Mechanical contractors are involved during every step of the process in projects involving mechanical parts. You can thank mechanical contractors for helping build everything from cell phones to cars.

Want to know more about mechanical contractors and getting a mechanical contractor license? Click our mechanical contractor license page.

To be a mechanical contractor, you must be licensed. We can help you get your Florida mechanical contractor license or get this license in any other state. We are a contractor licensing company, who has helped thousands of contractors get their contractor license.

We will complete the license application for you, and will mail it off to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf to get you approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Fl contractor license  page to get started with us or call 239-777-1028.

Construction managers have many responsibilities including planning, execution, monitoring, controlling and closing a project. It can be a stressful job but it’s also a rewarding job. These managers have to care about the budget, time management, quality, contracts, and safety.

A good construction manager (CM) should be analytical, creative, know how to deal with stress, know how to solve problems, know how to communicate, and show leadership and support. A CM should know math, physics IT, technical engineering, have training in evaluating performance and productivity, have construction site experience, and have additional specialties related to the field they are managing. Good CMs should understand technical complexities, have organizational data analysis skills, and have a knowledge of security procedures and legal matters.

CMs need to know how to communicate well (clearly and effectively) to keep a project and business functioning. CMs keep information concise and precise. They know how, when, and who to delegate tasks to. They create a teamwork environment, evaluate progress, respect deadlines, how to prioritize tasks, and how to problem solve.

Does this seem like a lot? Well, a lot of these skills are learned on site while doing the job while others are learned through studies and schooling. As a CM, you are a leader and need to be well-versed in all these above-mentioned skills to keep a project on time and within budget.

All CMs are contractors and are licensed. Want to know more about getting a general contractor license and or another specialty contractor license? Click our how to get a contractor license page.

To be a mechanical CM, you must be licensed. We can help you get your Florida contractor license or get a contractor license in any other state. We are a contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors get their contractor license.

We will complete the license application for you with your help and will mail it off to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf to get you approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Fl contractor license  page to get started with us or call 239-777-1028.