08-27-2006, 04:59 PM
Hey All,
As an unlicensed contractor, er "handyman" I mean, I can speak some on this issue. I personally believe that for plumbers and electricians doing any large amount of work that the experience you gain as a journeyman is paramount to doing a good job. In such cases a good job is a safe job, an electrical fire, or flood can be REALLY expensive. For this reason, the insurance and experience you get from a licensed outfit is important.
But that said, many licensed outfits hire and employee horribly deliquent persons. Inneptitude whether due to a substance problem, ignorance, or sheer lack of integrity is common. So check your contractors references. Also check your homeowners policy, sometimes you need work done by a licensed worker, though many just claim they did the work themselves. generally I "believe", really not sure here, that the homeowner can usually get screwed over if things get ugly; licensed or not.
Most banks require licensed contractors if they are going to fund your new home. That is a big reason for licensing. Now, I personally will wire and plumb the vast majority if not all of my home. If I have a question I will not hesitate to call a Pro friend or consult a book. If you are experienced and skilled you could also do your own work. There is a moving target when it comes to knowing enough as a homeowner to not overlook things, but not get taken to the cleaners for a $50/hr plumber/electrician. Remember though, when it comes to weird situations as it often does here in Puna an approval or consult form a pro can avoid huge problems later. Just make sure that you can run whatever the pro says by someone else with knowledge. ust like when you have work done on your car. Resist the urge to take the good news over the less desireable advice. Sometimes things are complicated, your brother's roomates' cousin who wired condos in Nicaragua for a summer when he was 19 may have a great price and tell you that you don't need to worry about wasteline slope or dedicated circuits, and he may be really nice and very affordable. But...... better to buy your neighbor the plumber a six pack and ask him to look at something for you. Just don't try to wheedle and favors out of him.
I might recommend journeyman who are not yet licensed but have years of experience. They often moonlight and many times are more motivated because they haven't been crawling under houses and through attics for 30 years yet.
I personally find licensing to be problematic for a few reasons:
1. $$$, it will cost you a lot more because the contractor will be paying taxes on themselves and employees.
2. $$$, Bonds, and Insurance are not cheap. Neither is the accountant you have to pay to help you navigate all the paperwork you now need to spend an extra 5 hours a week doing.
The issue of getting a license is moot, it is neither prohibitively expensive nor difficult. If i were to be doing commercial work, or running multiple work crews at multiple sites, I would go legal. I'm not. So I don't do any more work than the amount limited by law for unlicensed contractors.
My two cents.
Hazen
As an unlicensed contractor, er "handyman" I mean, I can speak some on this issue. I personally believe that for plumbers and electricians doing any large amount of work that the experience you gain as a journeyman is paramount to doing a good job. In such cases a good job is a safe job, an electrical fire, or flood can be REALLY expensive. For this reason, the insurance and experience you get from a licensed outfit is important.
But that said, many licensed outfits hire and employee horribly deliquent persons. Inneptitude whether due to a substance problem, ignorance, or sheer lack of integrity is common. So check your contractors references. Also check your homeowners policy, sometimes you need work done by a licensed worker, though many just claim they did the work themselves. generally I "believe", really not sure here, that the homeowner can usually get screwed over if things get ugly; licensed or not.
Most banks require licensed contractors if they are going to fund your new home. That is a big reason for licensing. Now, I personally will wire and plumb the vast majority if not all of my home. If I have a question I will not hesitate to call a Pro friend or consult a book. If you are experienced and skilled you could also do your own work. There is a moving target when it comes to knowing enough as a homeowner to not overlook things, but not get taken to the cleaners for a $50/hr plumber/electrician. Remember though, when it comes to weird situations as it often does here in Puna an approval or consult form a pro can avoid huge problems later. Just make sure that you can run whatever the pro says by someone else with knowledge. ust like when you have work done on your car. Resist the urge to take the good news over the less desireable advice. Sometimes things are complicated, your brother's roomates' cousin who wired condos in Nicaragua for a summer when he was 19 may have a great price and tell you that you don't need to worry about wasteline slope or dedicated circuits, and he may be really nice and very affordable. But...... better to buy your neighbor the plumber a six pack and ask him to look at something for you. Just don't try to wheedle and favors out of him.
I might recommend journeyman who are not yet licensed but have years of experience. They often moonlight and many times are more motivated because they haven't been crawling under houses and through attics for 30 years yet.
I personally find licensing to be problematic for a few reasons:
1. $$$, it will cost you a lot more because the contractor will be paying taxes on themselves and employees.
2. $$$, Bonds, and Insurance are not cheap. Neither is the accountant you have to pay to help you navigate all the paperwork you now need to spend an extra 5 hours a week doing.
The issue of getting a license is moot, it is neither prohibitively expensive nor difficult. If i were to be doing commercial work, or running multiple work crews at multiple sites, I would go legal. I'm not. So I don't do any more work than the amount limited by law for unlicensed contractors.
My two cents.
Hazen