The Capitol Connection is our weekly Q & A column for contractors that focuses on topics pertaining to contractor's licensing.
Now you see them, now you don’t! Has your bonding company ‘disappeared’? With all the recent emphasis on ‘green’ tech, it is no surprise to many that the CSLB is ‘shining’ its light on solar energy contractor’s regulations. As licensed contractors you have the right to work in California. You also have an obligation, really a…
I assist a contractor’s family that ran into a ‘brick’ wall when trying to ‘dig’ up answers to questions they had about licensing. While regular readers know how complex the rules and regulations for contractors can be, looking ‘in’ from outside the world of licensed contractors is even more daunting for one attorney who needs some…
While the voters passing Proposition 209 changed the rules for minority-owned companies in California, bid goals remain for some contractors. Is there a contract ‘advantage’ for your company? I shake the ‘foundation’ of another contractor’s ideas before ‘wading’ into a plumbing question… Q: Where can I sign up for the women-owned business? Seems I can’t find…
Funny how one question leads to another, but I will respond with more on the “A” vs “B” from a previous column. It is this back and forth of discussion that often leads to many contractors learning more about these issues critical to getting the most from your own license. With only so much space to…
It was planes, trains and automobiles carrying me south for the latest California State Contractors License Board meeting. With only a dozen or so audience members in attendance, James Miller, Chairman of the CSLB gaveled their quarterly meeting to order in San Diego. A wide variety of topics were discussed during their 3-½ hour gathering on…
Human wisdom partially comes from experiences that are shared by a friend or relative. This collective learning is often expressed by our most common clichés like ‘haste makes waste.’ That’s one every contractor can appreciate when paying for materials. Another to keep close to mind is ‘the devil is in the details’ especially when thinking about…
Keeping up with the notification and paperwork required for most all contractors can be time consuming. However, failing to stay up to date with State government agencies on simple things like a change of address, a shuffle of corporate officers or an unexpected turn of events can be costly. As I have been asked our first…
As times change contractors change with them. Many of the questions now coming to my attention regard adding to or expanding their licensed contracting opportunity. If you are looking for answers to a slowdown in your primary business these contractors may have shown the way to survive the downturn… Q: I currently have a General “A”…
As regular readers know, the black and white of written rules and regulations for contractors are primarily created by the Legislature. How these laws are used however is subject to interpretation. Outside of medical and legal practices, the California State Contractors Board has one of the most complex sets of rules governing work. That is why…