"A contractor's license is much harder to get than a business license, as I am sure you know."
Yes, pete I do know. Funny story actually, back in 2010 I decided to sign up for one of those Contractor State License Schools, went down to Sac for the two or so classes to study some test questions. It may have cost me around $500 . Anyway, I winged it, crammed it last night and some how past the test first try. I waited a while for my license to show up in the mail, finally got a call from Andrea, she was from the CA State lic board. Andrea told me that an investigation was being done, a red flag was raised due to my age, and that I needed to prove 4 years experience through W-2's, old invoices, have my clients sign them, and fax em' in ect!
So, I'm about a thousand bucks into this thing at this point and I just want my freakin CA LIC #, thats all. All the while I'm still working, a call comes in, my phone lady sets up a bid for me the next day during my lunch. I go to work the next day, climb 3 beautiful black oaks, come down for lunch, leave my two employees to take a nap in the shade until I get back.
I roll up to the house, in behind me comes another contractor, guy calls him over and says the wife will show him the painting job, and he walked over to me to show me the tree job. I didn't think anything go it at the time, figured the guy just bought the house, from the bay area, and is fixin' her up. He walks me down the long driveway showing me a few larger ponderosa pines, he explains to me that they are in the way of changing the road and needs them gone, stump and all. I bid it a $2,600, he says great when can you start? So, I'm stoked I got the job, he walks me into the home to meet his wife. She comes around the corner and introduces herself. I shake her hand and give her a card. My card at the time said "We do it all", she noticed and said, "We, who is we?" (knowing I didn't have workers comp). Right after that a Nevada County Sheriff walks around the corner, gun on the hip and all. The homeowner says "This is a sting from the contractors license board for bidding over $500"
Sheriff, nice guy, gave me that look of 'sorry man' as they had me standing in my carharts with my hands above my head, and frisked me head to toe. (and yes I was clean) hehe
They walked me into the bedroom and sat me down at their little desk, quite the operation though... I'm talking laptops, headsets, half a dozen of them or so. They had other biz owners on the way to the house, giving directions to them on speaker phone , laughing their butts off cuz the contractor was lost. Guess they had busted 8 guys already and had another 8 to finish the day.
I told them I had passed my contractors lic, I was under review, and in the process of verifying my experience. They called Andrea (my case worker) and all had a good laugh. I just wanted to get back to work, and was trying to cooperate more than anything. In the end it just felt as if it was all just an extension of the contractor's license test. They slapped me with a $750 fine and told me I could write the judge and appeal, so I did, and he lowered it to $500. Hey every bit helps eh?
As I rode out of the driveway to get back to my 'big' job, I passed a tree truck gave a nod to the guy, and I hurried off. Now I think back, wish I would have flagged him down and gave him a heads up to turn around. Oh well live and learn.
Anyway, a business license is easy and cheap, and probably the way to go. If you want to legally bid a job over $500 in CA, then hang yourself like me and get your contractors license.
But yes Pete, this is a wonderful area, big trees, mountains, rivers, a lot of fun and worth every bit of the hassle... i hope.
