Hire a Qualified Contractor – Ensure the Contractor is Properly Licensed

You want your renovation project to go as perfectly as possible.  So why would you hire an unqualified contractor?  You don’t have to blindly trust a contractor.  Sure, the contractor claims to be qualified, but is he?  There are tools for you to figure this out on your own. 

You need to hire a qualified contractor to minimize liability to the association. 

Ensure you hire a qualified contractor by confirming he is properly licensed.   

To ensure a contractor is properly licensed go to the contractor’s state website in your specific state.  The process in each state will differ slightly because each contractor’s state website will differ from the next.  However, the general idea will be the same for each state.

What to Look For:

Verify the following despite the state:

• The license number on the contract must match the business name
• Review the license issue date to determine how long the contractor has been in business
• Verify the license expiration date to ensure the license is still valid, keeping in mind that a contractor’s license usually expires annually
• If the license has recently expired or will recently expire don’t panic, just ask your contractor for a copy of the renewed license
• Make sure the license status is active
• The classification on the license must match the scope of work the contractor is producing for you (if the classification on the license states plumbing, don’t let that contractor paint your property)
• Review the contractor’s bond history to review any prior claims
• Make sure the license is up-to-date by ensuring the accord certs match with the data (policy number, expiration date, etc.)
• Review the license to see if it has been suspended or revoked

Contractor State License Board Websites:

Arizona: http://www.azroc.gov/

California: http://www.cslb.ca.gov/

Nevada: http://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/

Oregon: http://www.oregon.gov/CCB/Pages/index.aspx

Not in these states?  Enter your state into a search engine, such as Google or Bing, followed by "Contractor's State Website."   

Step-by-step Verification Process:

Arizona:

1. Visit the Contractor State License Board at http://www.azroc.gov/
2. Select the Contractor Search link
3. Enter the license number and click Go 
• The contractor’s license should be on the contract
• If you don’t have the license number use the business name
4. Click the license number link under the License Details section
5. Review the information mentioned above in the What to Look For section of this newsletter

California:

1. Visit the Contractor State License Board at http://www.cslb.ca.gov/
2. Go to Consumers
3. Hire a Contractor
4. Select the Check a License or Home Improvement link
5. Select the License Number button
6. Enter the license number
• The contractor’s license should be on the contract
• If you don’t have the license number use the business name
7. Review the information mentioned above in the What to Look For section of this newsletter

Nevada:

1. Visit the Contractor State License Board at http://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/
2. Select the Online Searches button
3. Select the Search by License Number link 
• If you don’t have the license number, select the Search by Company Name link
4. Enter the license number or business name and click the Search button
5. Select the company link to review the information mentioned above in the What to Look For section of this newsletter

Oregon:

1. Visit the Contractor State License Board at http://www.oregon.gov/CCB/Pages/index.aspx
2. Select the Contractor Search button
3. Enter the license number or company name in the Search Box and hit Go
4. Select the company name link to view details
5. Click the Go button for CCB Business Detail Records and review the information mentioned above in the What to Look For section of this newsletter

 Have more questions?  Contact us here. 

 Written by Cari Stark