Unlicensed Contractor Early Warning Signs
- Contractor displays only a Business Tax receipt. In order to lawfully iengage in contracting, a contractor must be State of Florida or (Lee or Collier County) certified. Ask to see the contractor's certificate of competency issued by the state or county and make sure it is current.
- The contractor is only willing to work on weekends or after houss. This is often a sign that the person is an employee who is moonlighting without a license. Licensed contractors are fulltime professionals
- Many requests for money during early phases of construction. Your contractor should be solvent and have sufficient finances.
- You are asked to obtain the permint. A licensed contractor who is in good standing will always obtain the permit; unlicensed contractors cannot pull permits.
- Verbal contract only; contractor is nott willing to put all terms in writing. This is always a sign of potential trouble.
- The contractor does not have proof of insurance. Licensed contractors must have general liability and workers' compensation insurance in effect at all times.
- You are informed that the job does not require a permit or an inspection. Check with your local building official. Almost all projects require a permint and an inspeciton.
- Someone other than the person or company contracting to do the work obtains the permit. As previously stated, a licensed contractor who is in good standing will obtain the permit.
- You are asked to make your check payable to an individual's name (it should be made payable to a company), or asked to make payment in cash or to make the check payable to "cash". Licesed contractors will almost always have a separate businessl acount.
- Newspaper, advertising flyer or yellow page ads where only the telpone number appears and there is not a business address. Licensed contractors are required to include their certificate of compentciy license number in all advertising.
- No certificate of competency license number on the vehicle, business cards, contracts, nespaper, advertising flyer or yellow page ads. As stated above, a licensed contractor is proud to be licensed and will want that fact known.
The biggest protection agains unsafe, faulty work is to make sure the contracto you hire has a license from either Collier or Lee Count or the State of Florida. By using licesned contractors you can save yourself time, worry and money, and feel safef from injury. You