Liability, everyone worries about it and everyone business person and homeowner think about law suits and other claims. So, when it comes to licenses and insurance, it’s always best to make sure the contractor you hire has them.
There are many reasons why you’d want to check to make sure your contractor is licensed and insured. First, as mentioned above, the liability falls on you if someone gets hurt during construction. Here are several more reasons why you should do your due diligence:
· Injuries: If you’re contractor isn’t insured or licensed and someone is injured on the job, they can sue you and you would be liable.
· Training: Contractors who don’t have licenses or insurance probably didn’t receive the proper or enough training necessary to comply with state laws regarding construction work.
· Disputes: If you have a problem with your contractor and they aren’t licensed or insured, they aren’t held accountable by the state. In fact, it’s like hiring your friend to do construction, they don’t have the insurance or training to back up their work.
· Knowledge: Licensed contractors tend to know the permits and code requirements necessary for your project. This is important because you may have to redo the work if it’s not up to code.
· Warranty: If you used an unlicensed contractor, this can affect warranty claims. This is because the state contractor’s board likely won’t assist in helping you make a claim against an unlicensed contractor. So, you might have to go to court and that can be a long, drawn out process that could still result in nothing.
So, how do you know if you your contractor is licensed and insured? Well, that’s the easy part. All you have to do is visit the Contractors State License Board web site and click find my licensed contractor; if they aren’t listed, they aren’t clear to work for you. If they are listed, or if you have their license number – always check that number to see if it’s up to date – then the contractor can work for you.
Now that you know a little more about why it’s important to use a licensed and insured contractor, let us know if we can help you with your next shade structure project. Our license number is #999050. For more information about awnings or who we are, visit us online at American Awning & Blind Co. at http://www.americanawningabc.com. Or give us a call at 800-654-5933. You can also email us at info@americanawningabc.com.
There are many reasons why you’d want to check to make sure your contractor is licensed and insured. First, as mentioned above, the liability falls on you if someone gets hurt during construction. Here are several more reasons why you should do your due diligence:
· Injuries: If you’re contractor isn’t insured or licensed and someone is injured on the job, they can sue you and you would be liable.
· Training: Contractors who don’t have licenses or insurance probably didn’t receive the proper or enough training necessary to comply with state laws regarding construction work.
· Disputes: If you have a problem with your contractor and they aren’t licensed or insured, they aren’t held accountable by the state. In fact, it’s like hiring your friend to do construction, they don’t have the insurance or training to back up their work.
· Knowledge: Licensed contractors tend to know the permits and code requirements necessary for your project. This is important because you may have to redo the work if it’s not up to code.
· Warranty: If you used an unlicensed contractor, this can affect warranty claims. This is because the state contractor’s board likely won’t assist in helping you make a claim against an unlicensed contractor. So, you might have to go to court and that can be a long, drawn out process that could still result in nothing.
So, how do you know if you your contractor is licensed and insured? Well, that’s the easy part. All you have to do is visit the Contractors State License Board web site and click find my licensed contractor; if they aren’t listed, they aren’t clear to work for you. If they are listed, or if you have their license number – always check that number to see if it’s up to date – then the contractor can work for you.
Now that you know a little more about why it’s important to use a licensed and insured contractor, let us know if we can help you with your next shade structure project. Our license number is #999050. For more information about awnings or who we are, visit us online at American Awning & Blind Co. at http://www.americanawningabc.com. Or give us a call at 800-654-5933. You can also email us at info@americanawningabc.com.
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