Everybody wants to save money, especially when it comes to construction. However, the cheapest contractor will most likely cost more in the long run. Most often, people don’t understand the risk of hiring an unlicensed contractor and therefore don’t always make licensure a priority when choosing the right company for their job. Having a license is critical, as it protects both parties from anything that can go wrong during construction.
Unlicensed contractors can offer you lower prices since they don’t pay licensing fees, they don’t obtain a bond to protect their work, and more often than not, they don’t purchase liability or workers compensation insurance. Without these added expenses, the unlicensed contractors can provide their services at a lower rate than the legitimately licensed professional. The absence of these important items puts you the consumer at risk. If you hire an unlicensed contractor and he falls off a ladder while working on your property, you’re liable. They will also try to cut corners on the work because they don’t have to adhere to building codes.
While many of these contractors are just too lazy and cheap to get their licenses, some of them may even be criminals out to steal your money, or even your property. A valid license is the first indication that your contractor might be qualified to do your job. Next time you’re hiring someone to work on your home or business, do your homework and make sure they are licensed, bonded, and insured. In the state of California, you can visit the website www.cslb.ca.gov to check on the validity of a license or if a person/company is even licensed.