I’ve received several bids for a home remodeling project in Washington State however they are from contractors licensed in Oregon.
Is it safe to hire these contractors? If something goes wrong, would I still be able to seek recourse with the state where they are licensed?
Even though the company is based in Oregon, they are still required to have a business license in Washington. The one thing to check for is if the plumber doing the work on your home has a Washington Journeyman license. There are a lot of Oregon shops with Wahington business licenses but have no Washington journeyman. You can check status with the State of Washington website to see if the company your hiring is licensed in Washington, you can even check the status of an individual plumber’s license as well.
From a legal / insurance standpoint they would need to have a CCB number from Washington as well otherwise it would be a voilation. If something went wrong you could file a small claims suit and, them being in the wrong state, you would have a lot of leverage in the case.
A contractor is required to have a CCB license in every state they work in. They have to have not only a business license to legally work in Washington, but they also need to have a Washington CCB License, and have an account with the Department of Revenue so they can remit the reuqired taxes to the state. Otherwise, you could be responsible for the taxes as well. Not a good idea to have an unlicensed contractor. There is no reciprocity between the two states.
It is okay for a company based in Oregon to work in Washington. However, assuming they are licensed in Oregon, they must also be licensed in the state of Washington. If thay are not, they will be performing the work illegally. Do not use them.
I know that one cannot work in Idaho because they have there own licence requirements but I do not know about Oregon.
It is to far from Spokane to have been a factor.
I concur with the above two answers and would add a couple of points. They need a vaid business license, a valid contractor license and perhaps a local/city license. These licenses will ensure that they are set up to do business in Washington and the contractor license ensures that they have a bond in place - which is protection for the customer in the event of a claim. One more thing to check on is if they are set up with Labor and Industries with workker’s compensation insurance. You should be able to look up most of this information on Washington state’s web sites. Google for Washington state license and look for links to business licenses (rather than driver’s liecenses, etc.). Do a similar search to find the L and I web site. It helps to do it in this order, then you’ll have their contractor license number to assist with the search on the L and I site. Hope this helps…
To be able to legally work in the state of Washington a contractor needs to be licensed in Washington. There may be further requirements for contractors with employees as well. In addition, there may also be some issues with sales tax, as the job is in WA versus OR, which I believe has no sales tax. My concern is if the sales tax is not paid to the WA Dept. of Revenue that the tax liability could come to you. A CPA with experience in this area would be a good source to answer this part. Hope this helps and good luck with your project.
If the contractor is licensed in Washington and has all of the local business licenses then it is possible for them to legally perform the work. If they do not have the appropriate licensing then you should not go with them. We have licensing in Oregon and Washington and follow the rules and laws of both states. Verify their licensing and records for claims and complaints to insure you will not be the victim of any type of faulty work, chances are if they make a habit out of breaking the rules there will be a trail of complaints and claims to show it… Hope this helps…
They must be licensed in Washington also is order to legally contract any work in Washington. They still have to pay taxes on the money they recieve from your job to Washington State. Get a Contractor that is licensed in Washington?
Oregon contractors operating in Washington are required to obtain the contractor’s license while working in the state of Washington. Washington requires all contractors to obtain a contractor’s license, a bond, and workers compensation for employees doing the work. Interestingly, Oregon and Washington share joint coverage of worker’s compensation insurance. If a Washington contractor licensed in Oregon is doing business in Oregon, the Washington labor and industries worker’s compensation covers the employee while they’re working in Oregon, and an Oregon workers compensation policy covers the employee while working in Washington.
If you knowingly hire a contractor that does not have a valid contractor's license in the state of Washington, there is close to nothing that can be done in the event of a problem. This holds true for the state of Oregon as well. You should always protect yourself by hiring licensed contractors that have a good reputation and have been in business for more than five years. That way you know that if there's some problem that should arise, you have recourse.
For further information, contact the Washington State Department Of Labor & Industry.
For roofing and siding needs come check this outIt’s safe if they’re legitimate in WA. So, they must be lic., insured, bonded.
Don’t go there. All contractors must be licenced, bonded, and insured in the states were they do business. If any issues with the quality of construction, methods, taxes workmans compensation insurance you may find yourself without any recourse. I am sure by visiting the Build Zoom website, asking friends or neighbors you can find a competent contractor in your area.
The licensing requirements in Oregon are stricter than the registration requirements in Washington. In Oregon we have to provide continuing education each year and there is testing for new contractors. In Washington it’s just a registration process. I’ve been in business for 18 years in Oregon and I’m a general contractor working around the Portland metro area. I decided two years ago to get registered in Washington because I get a few leads in and around the Vancouver area and its close for me. I won’t go much farther north than about 10-15 miles though and of course I have to deal with the sales and city taxes. My insurance is good for both states but I needed to register my corporation and I needed a separate bond for Washington. WC I don’t have because I don’t have employees so I don’t know if it works in Washington but others have indicated it does. If they are licensed in Oregon but not registered in Washington then they are operating illegally. Oregon is licensed through the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and Washington is registered through the Bureau of Labor & Industries (BLI). I would like to comment on the question though and ask why you would get several bids. I think you’re confusing the issue with free estimates. Bids or proposals are reseved for projects with a detailed scope of work and usually done on a retainer on most remodeling projects that we do. There is no value in free and of course not much detail.
Yes, it is safe to hire a contractor licensed in Oregon to do a job in Washington State, as long as the contractor is licensed in both states to do so. Example, an Oregon Homeowner wishes to hire a Washington contractor for home remodeling which requires Heating-AC-Ventilation repairs/replacements/modifications or upgrades, the homeowner should request that they provide you with both state contractors business licence numbers. The homeowner is responsible for checking both of these states for business registration and that they have the certificates/licenses required for the work they are hired to do.
The responsibility with work done to the home is the homeowners and they are better protected by using only licensed, bonded, and insured contractors which can be confirmed by calling the CCB in Oregon and Washington, or on the States websites. There are a few contractors whom have lost their licenses and are still working on homes and commercial buildings, so protect yourself.
It is quite common for Oregon contractors who live near the Columbia River to have dual licensing - as the states are so close. Just make sure that the contractor you choose has a valid Washington State contractor’s license.
While there are good and bad contractors everywhere, many Southern Washington jobs are performed by Oregonians. Southern Washington is very rural, While Northern Oregon is (slightly) less so. I believe competition forces a higher standard of achievement. As previously stated, Oregon also has higher standards to be met than Washington to become a licensed contractor. I am in no way implying that there aren’t competent Contractors in Washington as well.
A contractor based in Oregon can perform work in the state of Washington, only if they are licensed with Labor & Industries ( L & I ), have a performance bond and liability insurance, and worker’s compensation from either Oregon or Washington. Here is a link to Washington L & I, to check the contractors background and current status:
https://fortress.wa.gov/lni/bbip/Search.aspx
My recommendation is to only use a Licensed Contractor, and any of their subcontractors must also be registered and licensed in the state. Especially any “trade” contractors such as Electricians and Plumbers.
Hope this helps!
Generally speaking; the state of Washington, or more specifically-Washington Labor and Industries, state that "work which adds to or subtracts from real estate must be done by a registered contractor. Contractor registration is also required for anyone who provides construction consultation, develops residential property or “flips” houses. So, in short, if you’ve received a proposal from any contractor, no matter where they’re physically located, said contractor must have a general contractors license for the state of Washington. The exceptions to this rule are these; gutter cleaning, pruning, lawn care and window washing. It is not necessary to be registered in washington when performing these specific services.
Moreover, it's important to know that your choice for a general contractor must also have the following:
1. Bonding; a. General Contractors=$12,000 b. Painters=$6,000 c. Electricians=$4,000
2. General liability insurance; a. property damage=$50,000 b. public liability=$200,000 (accept electrical)
3. Workers' compensation for all workers
4. Provide each customer with a "Notice to customer" on any job of $1,000-$60,000
For items 1-3 you may find this information about any prospective contractor on the ccb website. Simply go to https://ccbed.ccb.state.or.us/ccb_frames/consumer_info/search_name.asp and type in the ccb # of the contractor to display all results.
It's very important that your search for a qualified contractor not be done hastily, as the time spent now will be time well spent. Hind sight being 20/20 and all.It is not safe to hire a contractor licensed in one state to do a job in another. They only meet the regulatory requirements of Oregon.
I will beat a dead horse here and say that they must be Licensed Bonded and Insured from the State in which they are performing their services. That is for your protection more than anything.