The 10 Best Salt Lake City, UT General Contractors

Contractors in Utah are required to be licensed to perform work on residential properties. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing issues over fifty separate license classifications to contractors. Work on all commercial and rental properties must be done by a state licensed contractor, unless the work is considered to be non-structural general maintenance or repair under $1000.

The Utah Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing issues contractor licenses. To become a licensed contractor, applicants must submit an application and pay a licensing fee. Applicants must either act as their own qualifier, or identify someone to be their qualifier. Qualifiers demonstrate that the applicant has the knowledge and experience necessary to practice in the trade. Qualifiers must pass the Utah business and law exam and a trade exam, prove 2 years of relevant experience and either complete the Utah 20 hour pre-license education course or hold a construction management degree. Applicants must prove they hold general liability insurance and workers’ compensation. Licensed contractors are required to complete 6 hours of continued education every licensing period.

Licensed contractors in Utah are required to carry workers' compensation and general liability insurance with at least $100,000 per incident and $300,000 aggregate. It is recommended that you request a copy of both insurance certificates for your records before any work begins on your property.

All construction and home improvement projects in Salt Lake City require a permit unless explicitly exempted. Generally, new construction, major improvements, renovations, additions and demolition, especially those which affect the structural elements of a building, will require a permit. Common examples of home improvement projects that require a permit include tearing down or building a garage, the installation of any fence and replacing exterior windows or doors. If you build without a permit when one is required, you will be issued a stop work order, may be subjected to doubled permit fees, a citation and problems selling your home in the future. If you have any questions on permit requirements, contact the Permits office at 801-535-6000.

The Salt Lake City Department of Building Services and Civil Enforcement is responsible for issuing permits and ensuring project compliance with building codes and ordinances. If you hire a contractor, state law requires him/her to obtain the necessary permits. Do not take out permits yourself if you hire a contractor as this will make you liable for any work done on the property. The Department offers many services to assist customers during the planning process, including detailed online guides. A One-Stop-Shop is staffed by city planners and building code examiners to answer questions. You may also attend a pre-submittal review meeting for an overview of how your project will be affected by city codes and policies. All applications for new buildings are required to be submit online. Once a building permit application is submit, your project will be assigned to a Project Planner who will be your point of conduct throughout the review process. More details are available on the Salt Lake City Department of Building Services & Civil Enforcement website.

Licensed contractors in Utah must hold a surety bond in order to perform work on residential properties. Homeowners can file a claim against this bond to recoup losses or damages in the event of faulty work.

The BuildZoom score is based on a number of factors including the contractor's license information, which is gathered from the Utah Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing; building permit data, gathered from the Salt Lake City Department of Building Services & Civil Enforcement; and feedback and behavior we have observed in the BuildZoom marketplace and in other, third-party review sites.

We have analyzed every licensed contractor who has worked in Salt Lake City, Utah. Using this information, we’re able to save you time, money and lessen your risk by providing you with a simple and straight-forward way to gather and receive multiple bids from vetted general contractors in Salt Lake City. Click here to get started by providing us with a few details about your project.