I’m wanting to do a small kitchen remodel: New flooring, countertops, a new backsplash, and maybe some painting. Would I need to hire a licensed contractor for that, or would a handyman be capable of that kind of work?
It’s very important to hiring someone that is licensed. To have a home improvement license means that the companys name who is on the license is also insured. you cannot apply or receive a home improvement license without having the minimum stay liabilities which is usually five hundred thousand to 1 million dollars.
TGT INTERIORS-
In Arizona, the handy-man clause states that a project can not exceed 1500.00. Always try and find a licensed contractor.
If you are looking for the best chance of a quality end result, then it best to engage a General Contractor. Your question does not include the plumbing and electrical which will need to be done. These two trades carry a significant amount of liability when work is performed. It is best to have a licensed and insured trade specialists do these tasks for you.
Very important - a licensed contractor will also be insured and bonded.
He will do things the correct way.
Remember that an unlicensed contractor answers to no-one.
I’m not sure in other states or cities but in Jacksonville, FL you don’t need a license to replace counter tops, flooring and painting. With this being said a licensed contractor will offer a higher level of security by being properly insured. For smaller jobs like this I believe more than finding a licensed contractor, if it’s not required in your jurisdiction, you should make sure to check valid references and to hold payment until the job is completed. Sometimes is hard for handymen to have to wait for their money so you might need to go with somebody it can. This will provide you a bit of protection since you will be holding payment until the job is completed to your satisfaction.
Please note that a handymen asking for advance payment is not necessarily somebody that’s trying to run with your money. Even large companies like Home Depot or Lowe’s won’t start doing anything until they have been paid in full. Of course, chances are Home Depot or Lowe’s will be there to complete your job the same than most licensed contractors will. In short, use common sense, check references and you will be OK with either choice.
Well in Massachusetts, A handy man would need to at least be enrolled into the homeowners registration program. What this program basically does is to be an avenue to an arbitration if any problems should arise between the homeowner and the contractor. A reputable handy man would also carry liability insurance.
Now a licensed contractor would take on full responsibility of the project. If there are any code issues that arise, the licensed contractor is responsible. The licensed contractor most likely has a substantial liability insurance policy as well as workman’s comp. Also any vehicles that are being used by the contractor and are entering the property area also has coverage for the protection of both parties.
Most building inspectors recommend hiring a licensed tradesman or General Contractor for the homeowners protection.
And obviously you would want a contractor with a good reputation and excellent work qualities.
Hope that helps…
A Rignoli
Rignoli Construction
Oh yeah you would definetly need to hire someone that is licensed. If they were to damage your home in any way they would have insurance on their license that would cover the damages. If you were to hire a handyman without a license and they were to damage your home you would be left with handling the issue yourslef because the handyman would not have insurance and might not have the money to pay for the damages.
Also it is illegal to do estimates or any kind of remodeling without a proper license.
Although an unlicensed handyman may be capable of doing the work, they likely would not carry any insurance that would protect you (or them), in the event there is a damage or loss attributable to them or their work.
It’s easier and much cheaper for a handyman to go unlicensed vs. going through the process of being licensed as a contractor by a state and city. In our state (ND), liability insurance and an insurance bond is required in order to become a licensed contractor. This insurance protects both the customer and the contractor/business in the event damages occur to the customer’s property due to actions of the contractor/company.
Additionally there are requirements to obtaining a contractor’s license that help to ensure the contractor/business actually does have expertise and experience in performing the services for which they are advertising and hired to do.
Some States also check criminal backgrounds and for legal issues related to possible previous lawsuits or charges related to defrauding people.
Overall, it is safer for the customer to go with a licensed vs. unlicensed contractor in order to protect their property and finances related to their project and to ensure a quality job in completed.
This is a question that comes up, quite often, unfortunately. It is never better to hire a handyman instead of a licensed contractor that specializes in the work being done. However, for some small projects, a handyman could appear to be a better choice. An example of this would, in fact, be if you just wanted your back splash done, and you may pay the guy $500 to do it. In this case, any licensed contractor, with overhead such as insurance, workers comp, taxes, etc, would not be able to do even a small job like that for less than double what the handyman could and still make a profit. This comes with 2 big catches though…
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The guy could do a terrible job. Your recourse? you have none, you just got burned.
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The guy could get hurt on your property. Accidents happen! And now you are vulnerable to not only a lawsuit, but you are for sure paying his medical bills, as you assumed liability by hiring an unlicensed worker on your property.
Here is the kicker however, in most states, there is a limit on what a handyman can do, before a job is not only ill-advised, but is ILLEGAL. In WV, that limit is $2500.00, before a license is required.
any project that requires code compliance and or permits must be handled by licsensed contractors,handymen simply do not know current codes.
Extremely important, remodels pose the greatest risk for inexperienced people to potentially bury energized wires in a wall. This risk is very high in a kitchen. Why pay for it twice?
Very important. If they are not licensed they they are not liable for any damages or if they didn’t do the job properly. A handyman is basically a quick fix as to a licensed professional knows what to do for long term and provides a warranty with there work. If your looking to get a quick fix that doesn’t last and probably will cost you more in the long run than look for a handyman. If you want a completed job that you won’t have to worry about fixing again than hire a trained licenses professional.
I was naive to hire an unlicensed, uninsured and basically un-credentialed remodeling contractor. He has over 30 years of experience and he came highly recommended from family and friends. He quoted us a very good price on redoing our kitchen, this included new floors and trim, painting walls, new kitchen windows, doors and a sliding door, all new cabinets and counter tops, even fixtures, etc. The only thing excluded was the appliances. I mean, excellent price!
Additionally, everything we agreed on was mostly verbal with the exception of a few notes on sticky-notes. Yes, I know what you are thinking - what an idiot. I have to admit though, my husband was very skeptical and uneasy with this contractor’s entire process, but with the referrals and high recommendations and accolades all around, we decided to go with him because everyone he had previously worked for reassured us that this is how he does business and he does great work, etc.
I wrote him a check for 50% of the entire project, as down payment. After waiting 3 weeks we finally get out cabinets, flooring and other materials delivered. However, they were all different colors, styles and shapes and some with damages - I told him these are not the ones I picked out and he’s not installing any of these. The materials looked like discontinued clearance items you find at Home Depot, Menards or Lowes. He told us it would it would be another 2-3 weeks for the other cabinets, floors, doors, etc to come in and that he didn’t know they had to be solid wood. Luckily I kept the post-it-notes and it clearly said what I wanted in solid wood. Then he tells us he needs to recalculate everything and it would be an additional $15,000! I told him I’m not paying him anymore because nothing is installed. He said I have two options: I lose the money I already paid him or I pay him the additional amount so that he could get the “right” materials. We finally agreed on that I would purchase all of the materials.
To make this short, it took him and his team 3 months to finish the job. In the end, we paid more than our highest bid from another contractor, who after I checked his estimate he included everything I wanted. We can’t file a complaint because he doesn’t “exist.” He doesn’t have insurance, he doesn’t have a business license, he doesn’t have anything except for a van and his workers. On the positive, he does have hard working and diligent workers and they did a great job. Although, I’m not entirely happy with the outcome - because I didn’t end up with a kitchen I wanted.
I blame myself for being naive and trusting and so eager to save money. My husband and I went to an attorney and he said there is nothing that can be done since we don’t have a signed contract, the notes are mine, the check I made out was to “Cash,” etc.
My word of advice: before you hire a contractor make sure you do research and investigate him. Don’t rely solely on friends and family, because just because a bad thing didn’t happen to them doesn’t mean it can’t happen to you. Hire a licensed and insured contractor, so if something does go wrong, you can do something about it.
It is imperative to hire a licensed contractor, it protects both the homeowner and the contractor. A licensed contractor who does permitted work guarantees that the work is compliant with local building codes, their work is usually superior, and they are usually bonded/insured as well. There is no recourse if you hire an unlicensed contractor with either the quality of the work, or with any follow up service. The only thing as important as hiring a licensed contractor is to ensure they always get permits, even for a small kitchen remodel. Hope this helps to answer your question Susannah!
Its is very important to hire a licensed contractor because they insured. Being a State Certified Contractor mean the licensee has the experience in his trade, and passed all the State exams, in other words license contractors know what they doing.
You should always use a licensed Contractor. The state has requirements that only licensed contractors meet. You have to have insurance and the state can monitor any complaints filed against the company
It is very importunity to hire a license contractor.
Licensed individuals are required to carry the appropriate insurance and workers’ compensation to ensure that you are not held liable if someone is hurt on the job. There is little recourse for consumers who are harmed by unlicensed individuals. Unlicensed contractors are not required to carry insurance. That makes you liable for any injuries they sustain on your premises. If they damage your property, they’ll have no way to compensate you. They may complete projects that are neither permitted nor compliant with local building codes. If that happens, you could be fined and ordered to remove or redo the work. To discourage homeowners and businesses from hiring an unlicensed, uninsured contractor there are serious financial consequences and legal repercussions. Work that’s performed to repair property damage must be completed by a licensed contractor or your homeowner’s policy won’t cover it. If the contractor is injured on your premises, you can be sued for damages. And under Florida Statutes, you could be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor and fined up to $5,000 for hiring a contractor without a license.
The quality of the work, liability in case of unforeseen events occurring, & WCF if anyone is hurt in any way on the job are only a few reasons why choosing a licensed contractor is not only your best bet, but the “smart” way to go. You’ll avoid a lot of unfortunate incidents that may occur should you choose an unlicensed handyman who may have some skill, but not the necessities needed as a licensed contractor does to put your mind at ease.