![]() ![]() ![]() Many holders of nationally-recognized restoration franchises assume they do not need a contractor’s license because they only perform mitigation, remediation and carpet cleaning. Contractors face fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail for the first offense, and the penalties are more severe with each successive violation. The individuals who placed bids to fix damaged property faced felony charges because the penalty increases from a misdemeanor to a felony in disaster areas. Undercover agents invited unlicensed contractors to place bids on home improvement projects for a single-family home that was nearly destroyed by the fire. Employees who solicit, negotiate or sign residential service contracts in California must have a Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) license.Īfter the wildfires raced through Napa County California in 2017, the License Board partnered with the Napa County Sherriff’s Department and the district attorney to conduct an undercover sting operation to catch unlicensed contractors, and several of them were taken to jail. Many well-intentioned, hard-working blokes get ambushed in sting operations and hauled off in handcuffs after what they thought was a routine house call. Of all the government’s pet peeves, contracting without the proper license seems to be one of the worst. The board responds curiously, with the statement that a “B - General Building contractor may subcontract asbestos abatement work if they do not hold a C22 Asbestos Abatement classification on their license,” which could be misinterpreted to mean that the general building contractor cannot sub out asbestos abatement if he has an Asbestos Abatement License. The California State Contractor’s License Board Web site says it is in a “battle against unlicensed contracting around the state.” This strikes fear in the hearts of some restorers, who call me and ask, for example, if they can sub out asbestos abatement with their general contractor’s license and whether they need a C22 Asbestos Abatement License. ![]() They concoct a host of entertaining excuses for not having a permit: “It doesn’t matter because we are not due for an inspection yet, so no harm, no foul” or “I could have obtained a permit before I was fired from the job.” The state is not impressed with those types of excuses because the violation irreversibly occurs the instant work begins on an unpermitted project. The Code of Regulations requires procurement of a permit before work begins, and many are too lax about that requirement. Contractors who violate the law are subject to disciplinary action by the board, including civil penalty assessments of up to $5,000 per violation, an order of correction that requires payment of permit fees and any assessed penalties imposed by the local building department, and suspension or revocation of the license. When a contractor performs improvement work without a local building permit, it is a violation of Business and Professions Code sections 71. Further, construction performed without a permit can expose a homeowner to additional liability and costs. In 2009, the license board voted unanimously to place a high priority on enforcing building permit requirements, and an industry bulletin was subsequently issued to alert licensees that the board would be accelerating building permit enforcement efforts, beginning January 2010.įailure to obtain a building permit is a violation of the Contractor’s License Law. Permits ensure that construction is performed in compliance with state and local codes, including safety standards. Building permits are required by law as a public safety measure. ![]()
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