| A word about Contracting from the Owner |
| Florida State Certified Commercial and Residential Building Contractor CBC1252960 |
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The State of Florida requires anyone who contracts to provide construction services to have a Contractor's License- it's the law! A "handyman" is not a Contractor. "Licensed and insured" can mean as little as having an Occupational License and car insurance in a business name. Always demand copies of licenses and insurance documents and be sure your Contractor is properly qualified and insured. Contact Volusia County Licensing at 386-736-5957 to inquire about licensing information. A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CONTRACTORS- Get to know who you have coming to work for you. Here's a few things you can check easily: 1) Does the Contractor have employees? There's an easy way to know for sure- Do they have State required Worker's Compensation Insurance? Meaning an actual insurance POLICY covering employees. If they claim that they are "exempt"... then they don't have any employees (only owner's and officers can be exempt). Don't be fooled. Ask yourself how well a Contractor without any employees can build or remodel for you? You can call the County number above to find out for sure if they have worker's compensation insurance for their employees. 2) Do they have an actual business office or showroom? Google the address on his card or advertising and see if it's a residence. Or better yet, go and drive by! If you find a grubby old house with two or three old cars and trucks in the yard or their house or building is in serious need of repair.... well, you get the idea. You are very likely to get work that resembles their place of business. 3) Do they claim to specialize? If they claim to specialize in some particular kind of service then they are what the industry calls a "niche player", and they are basically trying to focus their advertising efforts where they think they can make the most money without much competition. These niches usually vary by area and by the types of competition they think they have but "Insurance specialist" or "Water damage specialist" are some examples. A State Licensed Contractor is qualified to work in any environment where Professional Contracting services are needed. AND FINALLY- There are good and bad people in every profession and I have seen it all when it comes to Contracting. You have my promise that if you employ my Firm, I will provide the finest construction services available at any price. Trace Funderburk President and Owner |
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