What type of license is required?

[bforbis 14]

I saw a couple of posts where several of you mentions a contractor license (west coast?) which got me to thinking what are the proper license(s).

I realize this could vary by state so I tried to search for more info. This seems like an intuitive question, but I don't think many PW carry it????

The insurance and business license is a given, but I know there are some do not even have that.

Does your state require a contractor license and which state if not listed on your information?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

In Maryland, YES. MHIC ( Maryland Home Improvement Commission)

Now I will say this...having an MHIC license has no bearing at all on skill. It has everything to do with being a business that is following all the legal guidelines of the state, and it means the Guarantee Fund that is there to protect consumers covers your work. However the fines if you are caught operating without one of these MHIC licenses, can be real stiff from what we have heard from others.

Beth

[bforbis 14]

Thank you Beth and Rod,

When I first put the business together in NC I asked when I got the local business license and as far as I was told and after additional research, that was the only license requirement.

The general contractors license, does not apply to PW's as far as I can tell. This is required for construction over $30K per job.

[Celeste 341]

Brent,

In North Carolina, there is no licensing requirement other than each township/city privilege license. Contractors licensing for us is really really expensive overkill :)

Celeste

[CCPC 26]

There's no contractor license requirments in Florida either, just local Occup. licenses. Allthough, unlike some of the other states Florida does however consider Pressure washing part of the construction trade which means you are required to either have workers comp, or a workers comp exemption.

[bforbis 14]

Thanks ya'll,

I know that was one of those stupid questions:lgbonk: , but I didn't know if I had missed something along the way.

After I saw where someone had posted about contractors licenses!

[Larry B 55]

Yes it varies per state. Oregon had a CCB# (contractors certification board) requirement until mid July and dropped it. It is a system designed to collect information on contractors and make it available to the homeowners.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

California has an older one on the books for compressed air waterblasting & sandblasting, but since very few if any use compressed air for general cleaning, then it is not a required license.

[bforbis 14]

If you would allow me to "THINK OUT_LOUD".

There has been much discussion over "lowballers" etc depends on how you wnat to phrase it. I don't want to rehash that, but do you think this is the type of requirement needed or necessary to eliminate and or cull out those that may not produce work of a certain standard/acceptable quality.

Electricians, plumbers, general contractors have to be licensed and for very good reason, although different at that.

Don't get me wrong.....I am not an advocate for more bureaucracy, just to stimulate some discussion!

What did not work in Oregon that made them drop it?

Have other states had similar and dropped them or what has worked for those states?

Beth and Rod explained that Maryland

having an MHIC license has no bearing at all on skill. It has everything to do with being a business that is following all the legal guidelines of the state, and it means the Guarantee Fund that is there to protect consumers

NC statutes have a similar provision, but applies to general contractors, here is an exerpt from The Homeowner's Recovery Fund, enacted in 1991, provides assistance to eligible North Carolina homeowners who have suffered a financial loss caused by the dishonest or incompetent conduct of a licensed general contractor.

http://www.contractors-license.org/nc/NorthCarolina.html#gen

General Contractor's License

The Board issues several types of contractor licenses. You must pass an exam to get any type of license. Here are the types of contractor licenses the Board uses:

• Building
  
• Residential
  
• Highway
  
• Public utilities
  
• Specialty

Specialty contractor licenses include:

Water and sewer linesBoring and tunnelingWater purification and sewage disposalConcrete construction Grading and excavatingInterior constructionAsbestosMarine constructionInsulationMasonry constructionRoofingRailroad construction Electrical (ahead of point of delivery)Metal erection CommunicationsSwimming pools

[Dave O 15]

I have a buddy who took the builders test and now has his license. He sure can't build a house though. He took it just to see if he would pass it. Having a license has really no bearing on the quality of work you will put out. Just a way for a state to find you when you screw a consumer (Protects consumer), and also helps you if you get the same from a consumer, (Protects you) from non pay. (Lien)

[Larry B 55]

Dave that is exactly why Oregon had it. The CCB was created to provide those provisions any time an improvement in the value of a home/business was performed. That was the reasoning pressure washing fell into the CCB category. I did stop some from buying $400.00 PW'er and getting to work, however non-enforcement and threats of fines did not stop the true lowballer that is willing to take his chances.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

This topic has gone back and forth on whether having a license really means anything as far as quality.

If a license were required in California, then so would insurance and bond. Only the people that are making a living would go after the licensing, so the beer money folks or whatever else you may call them, would be the outcast. For the cost of what it takes to be legal, that alone would mean higher quality, as the hacks out there would see no reason spending it for the short time they will be in the business. It would also help the customer narrow down the choices of who to call. Of course they still need to verify if everything is current, but as it is now, they have nothing to verify.

In short it would raise the bar, by how much is not known, but every little bit helps.

[John T 744]

This topic has gone back and forth on whether having a license really means anything as far as quality.

If a license were required in California, then so would insurance and bond. Only the people that are making a living would go after the licensing, so the beer money folks or whatever else you may call them, would be the outcast. For the cost of what it takes to be legal, that alone would mean higher quality, as the hacks out there would see no reason spending it for the short time they will be in the business. It would also help the customer narrow down the choices of who to call. Of course they still need to verify if everything is current, but as it is now, they have nothing to verify.

In short it would raise the bar, by how much is not known, but every little bit helps.

That is why I'm glad I need a license here and also the ones that don't can easily be caught and fined...A great way to get rid of the lowballers. I don't look at this as a way for the Gov't to enforce more charges on us as some do but I do look at it as a way to eliminate the ones who want to screw the legitimate people who are trying to make an honest living.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Are you guys sure you don't need a license? If you read the print....if it says anywhere on there that you need a license to "apply paints or coatings" then for example, you may be able to wash, but not to seal. That's what hooks you in Maryland, because a "sealer" falls into that category. Also you are considered to be "improving" the home. For example here in Maryland, you can clean out a gutter with no MHIC licnese, but if you pick up a hammer to pound in a nail, you need a license.

http://www.clsi.com/state_contractor_license_board.htm

Beth

[bforbis 14]

At least in NC the painting/coatings does not appear under a specialty that requires GCL. I called the office in Raliegh and spoke with several to get direct interpretation and they said it was not relavant to painting/PW etc. Certainly, I expect most jobs to be well under the $30K limit.

My point in asking and start the discussion (those please forgive me if this results in a rehash of previous topics) was to look for and capture the attirbutes that work for areas that require licensing to develop the groundwork for the PW industry/organization as a whole. With the beginnings and development of PWNA, WRAPI, ***** etc there has to be and appears to be a desire to distinguish one group from the other (ie certified, licensed, insured etc.) I understand that b/c you have a license does not imply quality, but it should mean that you have had the proper training, knowlledge to perform and or say I am not qualified to do that job (vs. "I am really glad I did'nt screw that up TOO bad").

Would you have an unlicensed electrician wire your house? Realistically....depends on the complexity!

Thank you for the discussion.....I sincerely hope this is not rehash

This topic has gone back and forth on whether having a license really means anything as far as quality.

[CCPC 26]

At least in NC the painting/coatings does not appear under a specialty that requires GCL. I called the office in Raliegh and spoke with several to get direct interpretation and they said it was not relavant to painting/PW etc. Certainly, I expect most jobs to be well under the $30K limit.

My point in asking and start the discussion (those please forgive me if this results in a rehash of previous topics) was to look for and capture the attirbutes that work for areas that require licensing to develop the groundwork for the PW industry/organization as a whole. With the beginnings and development of PWNA, WRAPI, ***** etc there has to be and appears to be a desire to distinguish one group from the other (ie certified, licensed, insured etc.) I understand that b/c you have a license does not imply quality, but it should mean that you have had the proper training, knowlledge to perform and or say I am not qualified to do that job (vs. "I am really glad I did'nt screw that up TOO bad").

Would you have an unlicensed electrician wire your house? Realistically....depends on the complexity!

Thank you for the discussion.....I sincerely hope this is not rehash

I'm sure many will respond to this debatable question, but you must realize that this exact discussion has been beat to death in other threads more times than many care to think about.

Just for the sake of gaining some prespective on how others feel about this topic, I would suggest doing a search, just look for the threads that are like 20 pages long.

I'm 0nly saying this because that might be one reason why many haven't choosen to post yet, because they might be all pooped out on that subject.

With all that said, for me, I don't really have much of an opinion on it. I think both sides of the coin have pros and cons, but I will say this, I think its going to take a lot more than licensing to weed out the majority of illegitimates and lowballers, and much more to gain public respect for PW as an accepted TRUE trade.

[bforbis 14]

Thanks for the input Lance CCPC,

I apologize to all for opening up something that was beat to death.

I had researched a good bit into previous posts.....I should have known better

Thanks again!!!