yes, because you ensure that you are a legit company…
Only a few clients actually take the time to check to see if a contractor is licensed or insured. That said, most clients expect that when you meet with them, that you do hold the appropriate licenses and insurances. It’s part of our job as contractors to make sure all the paperwork is in order.
Yes, absolutely.
In our modern days clients have the ability to simply click on an icon or 2 and have simple and immediate access to your business information on the CSLB and BBB websites.
The penalties for operating “under the table” in California are severe. There is one word used by lawyers that in my opinion is the sum total of the worst case scenario to contracting illegally-- disgorgement.
I encourage all my potential clients To check my license and insurance iinformation. I pay through the teeth for those things so I might as well use them to help clients feel they are making a safer choice and getting an accountable and legitimate company to work on their most valuable investment.
Paul Owens
Owens Construction
Yes it is very important! A lot of customers do check and it makes your business look more professional.
About 1 in 10 ask. I always inform them prior to work.
Licensing is MOST IMPORTANT IN THE PROFESSIONS OF PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL WORK. If hiring a plumbing or electrical contractor who is not licensed the homeowner/client is just asking for trouble and problems later, its INEVITABLE.
The customers who are interested in quality of work definitely require proof of active license, insurance, and bonding. Anything other is contradiction. It is not enough for just the contractor to be licensed but when dealing with the health and welfare of the community and Nation for that matter as in the plumbing trade, It is necessary to confirm that the men and women actually installing the work be licensed as well. If you do not follow these steps, chances are you’ll be spending top dollar for uneducated bodies opposed to the skilled tradesman you’ve actually paid for.
We’ve seen to many occurences of piping systems being installed improperly where poisoning has taken place. Whether it’s a drinking fountain cross connected with a HVAC line or dialysis machine tied into an irrigation feed. I think licensing and accountability is the most crucial tool in our tool bag.
#1 any good contractor with proper funding will not request a deposit.
#2 i always provide copies of my license and insurance when signing contract.
Well - the truth is that most clients dont even know how to look up to see if you are licenced. With that said our company makes a conscience effort to aware our potential clients that there are some unlicenced contractors that may bid on the job - and we provide them with a website that they can verify the credentials of any contractor.
Our commercial clients almost without faulter check the status of our licences.
Our experience has been that very few actually ask about our license. It is easy information to find though and, in our state, it is required that your license number be on all forms of advertising. It may be that by the time we are talking to a potential client they have already checked our status. We do make it part of our first visit to remind them to check our credintials as well as whomever else they may be interviewing.
It is imparitive for any busines to maintain a current license and liability insurance. Everyone who may be looking into services at their residences should check into their license, insurance, and employee credentials.
If our license is not active, we are not legally allowed to persue a homeowner for a contracted project. All our projects are contracted because we offer a wide range of products.
Short Answer Yes its very important
Our experiance been 25% ask about the license, but 100% requested and copies of held in the files of the building departments. They make sure it is curent and check on you to see if it is revoked or suspended then deny your permit request, some contractors go arround it to have owners take the permit under there names, with residential projects it works some times as they will request a copy of the contract between owner and contractor, but with comercial projects not so lucky.
In California, it is illegal to contract more than $500 without having an active licence. As a pool builder, my clients should very much care about the status of my licence! There are too many unscrupulous companies out there trying to cut corners. My licence guarantees my knowledge, experience and points to my integrity.