The Capitol Connection is our weekly Q & A column for contractors that focuses on topics pertaining to contractor's licensing.
They are not actual rats, but they don’t deserve any more respect than real vermin. Who? Unlicensed contractors who give legitimate licensed contractors a bad name and cause real damage to consumers who fall victim to their ‘low-down’ pitches. Now, another layer of ‘rat’ protection is actively seeking to trap these criminals. While most of what…
Is it right to do wrong, if it’s only once in a while? ‘Are you only guilty if you get caught?’ I saw that ‘philosophy’ on a T-shirt recently and that may explain the first question. If you ‘bet’ on working in Nevada, it’s a little more difficult than dropping a chip on the table… Q:…
You will not hear any trumpets blaring, bells ringing or alarms sounding warning but I have a serious call to action for contractors. Don’t read this at your own peril, or to paraphrase John Donne, ‘don’t ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee’! Like blood in the water it doesn’t take ‘sharks’ long…
You can’t always believe what someone ‘knows’ to be true when it comes to contractor’s licensing. A large part of those rules and regulations are complex, depend on exact wording and how they’ve been interpreted and applied by the Board over time. I share a quick way to research what is fact and what is ‘rumor’.…
I’ve always said perception is 90% reality. Or, simply your viewpoint is always what drives your opinions, decisions and, as humans, your emotions. When I am asked for answers by contractors, lawyers and others about licensing law and how it’s interpreted that viewpoint, or that perception, is always important. After this first question it’s ‘back to…
Is the electrician wiring your project doing so illegally? You might be ‘shocked’ to learn that could easily be the case if some important deadlines for certification were missed. Another contractor hopes to shed ‘light’ on some other electrical work, but first we begin at the beginning. A question about how to structure a new business…
A pat on the back is often the best praise, and I thank our first contractor for his. I will also help a landscape contractor with a ‘swimming’ lesson before sharing some news from CSLB about protecting seniors from fraudulent, unlicensed work… Q: To begin, I’d like to commend you on your columns! They are very…
While contractors bid, build and work their businesses daily it can be difficult to stay ahead of changes in licensing rules and regulations. Changes occur through new legislation, new interpretation of rules and Board policy. Some recent changes in home improvement contract requirements are a good example. Can you ‘give’ your license to a child when…
Your seat at the CSLB meeting is waiting. You could have, should have and would have attended, except…something else always comes up. Let me share some of what you missed. I also help a contractor discover how wrong some advice can be, if not taken in context with a greater understanding of the ‘big’ picture… Q:…