Dan B 14 Report post Posted July 10, 2005 I am from Wa state and here i was informed that i need a contractors licencse along with my business license to do residential pressure washing i was woundering if anyone else is haveing to do this or has any info on it why i would have to also anyone one know whats all involved in getting a contractors license thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Larry B 55 Report post Posted July 10, 2005 It is the same in Oregon. It is basically required because of the lien laws. the law allows you to put a lien on a homeowner's house, that does not pay a bill for the improvement of property. This can be money owed a contractor or supplier. We have a CCB state licensing agency that you must have a bond and insurance in order to get your CCB # (license). We have to undergo at least 16 hours of training to be able to even set an appointment to take the CCB test. This training can only be taken through State approved courses( that we pay for, $150-$300), then we get to take the test at a testing facility($106) and finally we provide proof to the CCB that we have everything in line and get our CCB#($250). Get caught operatin without a valid CCB# in Oregon and it is a $5,000 fine. The good side. I am not only allowed to wash houses, I am licensed to build them as well. I don't even have to prove that I know how to build, just that I am capable of passing a test. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted July 10, 2005 Same thing in Maryland. It's required. Beth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howard 50 Report post Posted July 11, 2005 Its required in Maryland if you are applying stain or sealer to homes, deck, fences, concrete ect... It's not required if you pressure wash the home, deck, fence, concrete but apply no sealer. I can clean anything just not apply sealer or stain I just prep it for someone else or the home owner to apply. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted July 11, 2005 Exactly. Thanks Howard. :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Celeste 341 Report post Posted July 11, 2005 Although some ofyou guys may feel like the licensing is a pain, I WISH we had some kind of requirements here besides a $25 privilege license. New Home Depot with all of the sales has given birth to a rash of PW wannabees - they're making me crazy! I can't wait for the day when licensing is something to have in this industry. Celeste Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
acidburn 14 Report post Posted July 11, 2005 Although some ofyou guys may feel like the licensing is a pain, I WISH we had some kind of requirements here besides a $25 privilege license. New Home Depot with all of the sales has given birth to a rash of PW wannabees - they're making me crazy! I can't wait for the day when licensing is something to have in this industry.Celeste My sentiments exactly. Then it will be, at least, a LITTLE more difficult for the "wash today, disappear tomorrow" guys. They hurt business every summer, for about 2 or 3 months. I love to watch them though. We got a local supplier here who builds PW trailers, from simple to bells&whistles, and they will lease to just about anybody. So, most of the new guys we see popup have a brand new setup, along with a $400 pymt!, and by July/August they are gone, and used equipment back at the supplier for sale....LOL! But, it's a shame, because in their little time around, they do pricing damage that takes MONTHS to fix. And because of them every summer, we professionals can't standardize a decent huosewash price for upscale homes. I had a call just last week, in a very high end country club. I went out, looked at the house. IT was half flagstone with VERY heavy mold/mildew....i'm talking SHEETS of growth...on all the flagstone. The other half was a painted clapboard siding. Two story about 7000sqft, with lots of dormers and a VERY steep roof, lots of angles.....you get the pic, one of those "designer" homes. I walked around the house with the homeowner, talk to them in detail about what I will do and what they can expect, etc,etc. then gave my price. I could have knocked her over with a feather!!! She said my price was 3 TIMES what she paid last year. I was astonished, so I asked her to repeat that....she said 3 TIMES....i said no, repeat what you said AFTER that...."the guy who washed it last year". I pointed to the flagstone, asked her how long since the house was built (8 years), then I told her that it looks like that is how long it lokos like that mold/mildew has been growing there. WHY wasn't it cleaned off last year?? SHe said the guy told her that it couldn't be cleaned off after it had gotten that bad cause it had "stained" the flagstone. I explained that I didn't think it would be a problem to clean it. She looked appalled (obviously about the other guy....lol). Then she began asking me about scheduling. I told her we were pretty busy, and could probably get to it in about a week. She said that she had company coming the weekend and wanted it cleaned before then. I took a look at my schedule, and worked it out for her. She told me she had some errands to run around the time I told her we'd be there, and couldn't be there to pay me when we finished. (her errands were only going to take 2 hours)....I explained that we would be there AT LEAST half the day. Again she looked appalled! She said "the last guy" was in & out in less than 2 hours. Well, I don't usually talk about other contractors....no matter what kind of flukes they are.....to the homeowner, but at this point, I told her that it sounded like the last guy was one of those fly-by-night flukes, and I left it at that. We ended up spending over 8 hours there. She had onlookers who were neighbors, and she even invited her mom and cousin to watch (they both live in the same neighborhood). Needless to say, she was astounded and more than satisfied. We have a contract to clean it every six months, and have her mom's and cousins homes to do next week. Sorry for the long post, but I needed to share. Lately it has been rare that we get a job where our price is so much higher than the whack jobs that "cleaned" the house last year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Larry B 55 Report post Posted July 12, 2005 I think everybody agrees that some form of licensing is good, but who is to say these fly-bys are going to get. Even with a $5,000 potential fine they still don't even get their CCB# and insurance....well that isn't going to happen either. These guys have PW in the bed of a truck with no name on the side and most likely haven't even registered a business name to work under. Good luck turning them in, if somebody does ask where their # is, they always say they are doing the work for a "cousin" or "friend". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted July 12, 2005 Just remember that licensing doesn't yield professinal results. You can be unlicensed and have excellent results, likewise you can be licensed and have less than great results. Licensing is the fulfillment of a governmental requirement, not proof that you are skilled at your craft. As you dot your i's and cross your t's withthe state you are in, make sure you fine tune your skills. Just my .02 Beth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howard 50 Report post Posted July 12, 2005 I can't agree with Beth more, I personally know many contractors with home improvement license who know nothing about the proper way to strip and clean a deck or fence. Not to mention how or when is the proper time to apply stain/sealers. So just because someone has the license don't automatically mean they know what their doing. In Maryland home improvement contractors have to carry 50k liability insurance minumum, I carry much more than that. I beleive that its just another way for the government to get their hand in my pocket. The test has nothing to do with power washing, building houses, decks, ect.... it deals primarily with government regulations, bidding, estimating, at least that is what I've been told by those that have taken the test. It has nothing to do with "Do you know what your doing" "Can you actually do what you say you can do for the home owner". "Do you really know how to build a deck that won't fall down". :rant:Ok, I'll get off my soap box now. Thanks for letting me ramble Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCPC 26 Report post Posted July 12, 2005 I think everybody agrees that some form of licensing is good, but who is to say these fly-bys are going to get. Even with a $5,000 potential fine they still don't even get their CCB# and insurance....well that isn't going to happen either. These guys have PW in the bed of a truck with no name on the side and most likely haven't even registered a business name to work under. Good luck turning them in, if somebody does ask where their # is, they always say they are doing the work for a "cousin" or "friend". It's not a matter of turning unlicenced fly-by-nighters in, its about changing customers perception of the pressure washing trade which, in turn, would result in the customers doing a better job of screening their choice of contractor. Having required licensing will help this along. A perfect example of this is, I would say that probalbly 75% of the new customers I take on where shocked to see all of the equipment I have and size trailer I carry it on (only a 5x10, whoppie:rolleyes2 ). Most customers before hand, are expecting just what you described, for me to show up with a ladder and a pull around (not that there's anything wrong with a pull around) thrown in the back of a pick up. If this is what the're preception is, then when Joe Blow, unlicensed, uninsurred, and inexperienced shows up in this fashion the customer doesn't question it. Thank of plumbers, you become so used to seeing most plumbers driving around in there white vans, all pretty much set up the same way and then you call out a plumber to your house a he shows up in a '86 Camery with "Joe's Plumbing" spray paint, stenciled on the door, I'll bet you probalby would feel a little uneasy about hiring him because he doesn't match your image of what a plumber should look like, or drive. If any of us showed up in the same fashion to do an estimate on pressure washing, many people wouldn't be expecting much more in the way of image and equipment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Celeste 341 Report post Posted July 12, 2005 Ditto Lance. Also, think of every piece of paper/certification/accredidation, etc... you can add to your company as validity, credibility and evidence of having a vested interest in your company's longevity. The more you invest in your business, the longer your staying power, which is what will keep us real guys around for the long haul. We actually had a client ask us directly "Are you going to be in business next year?" Of course we answered yes, however when she saw our setup, insurance, certification, etc... it only reinforced our answer. Bring on the licensing! Celeste Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCPC 26 Report post Posted July 12, 2005 We actually had a client ask us directly "Are you going to be in business next year?" Of course we answered yes, however when she saw our setup, insurance, certification, etc... it only reinforced our answer. I love it! I've gotten that one before too, but usually not when I provide service the first time, but rather down the road when they want somthing else cleaned. They call, I answer the phone with my typical business name responce and they still ask me: "Are you still doing pressure washing". I'm thinking, well I just answered the phone with a business opener, what do you think. But that's exactly the point, its harder in this trade (for now) to establish a level of credibility no matter what equipment you have or how well you try to define your image. Back to the plumbing trade example, I seriously doubt everytime a customer calls "Dale's Plumbing" (a local mom & pop plumbing company) they get the: "Are you still doing plumbing" line. Now don't get me wrong, this doesn't happen that often, but I bet it happens much more in the pressure washing trade then in others. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLD 14 Report post Posted July 13, 2005 I think everybody agrees that some form of licensing is good, Not me! I'm a firebrand Libertarian and find govt licensing to be blasphemy... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douglas Hicks 128 Report post Posted July 16, 2005 I do turn in the unlicensed. The last letter I wrote to the CCB did not generate a return phone call from them, not unuseal. I phoned and was told that the CCB was going to drop the requirement for Hood cleaners to be lisenced. Of course, w/no enforcement, no lisence is required any way. I did turn in one guy, from Idaho who installaed a fire system, he paid a $1,000 fine. Douglas Hicks General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc CCB 78491, to verify go to cb.stae.or.us Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
