contractors license? (Mexico: insurance, how much, houses)

[cyberbone]

Greetings all. i was wondering if anyone was familiar with the state licensing board for the state (if there is one) as far as being a contractor. i havent really been able to find any info on any of the state websites about aquiring a license or taking a contractors test.
thanks

CB

[LeavingFlorida05]

Afiak, you do not need a license to be a contractor in Missouri.

[cyberbone]

well i guess that would explain why i could'nt find any information on any of the state websites.. i do assume i would need a business license to operate.. right?

[samatha.robinson]

you do not have to be at the state level but you do at the city and county level so check with the city and or county offices in your area.

[DeanMoore]

You and I know how much you have to prove to get the CSLB to issue a license. here you just go to the county and get a business license, and most don't even do that.

be prepared for much less stringent building codes (if any), and inspect any prospective houses before you buy. we looked at 20 before I found one I felt safe in. you have stumbled onto Missouri's one weakness.

look for homes built on 3 1/2 inch slabs poured on the ground, houses built 24 on center, without headers of entirely #3 2x4s, with shear only at the corners with foam elsewhere under the vynal siding.

If I had to do it over again, I would buy land and build it yourself.

[mcol]

No way would I own a home built on a slab (if I could help it).
You cannot get to anything to work on it! And do we really need
state licensing requirements for the contractors and stringent building
codes? That's what runs the prices up.
Be careful whom you get to inspect the house for you too.

[DeanMoore]

I guess I should have typed "look out for" houses built on thin slabs with no foundations.

building codes, and licensed contractors don't drive housing prices up, if anything it would drive insurance prices down. my CA license cost about $300 every few years, and the bond was about $200/yr, but to get the license I had to prove I knew the subject, and prove 4 yrs experience, and I had to maintain a good reputation. they yank licenses regularly for violations.

there would be a LOT less storm damage if more houses were built to code.
hurricane/earthquake straps, headers over doors and windows, and #2 lumber wouldn't be any significant cost increase at all.

OK maybe a little cost increase for a real foundation

[mcol]

I understood your 'look out for' post, I typed my reply wrong is all.
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on building codes and licensed
contractors driving the prices up on houses....I could argue all night but
I won't. Husband was a successful licensed General Contractor in New Mexico for 25 years before we moved here, a state with very stringent building codes. I wouldn't want to see what was taking place in New Mexico take place here. I do agree it's best to build yourself, but then
property taxes would be much higher too on that house. BTW I think
home insurance is cheap here.

[DeanMoore]

I understand what your saying. but there has to be a better way for people to know what they are getting when they buy a house. I watched someone build a 2-story house with 24 inch spacing, 2x4 construction, no headers, little foundation, and many of the studs were 1/2 bark. somebody paid full price for that house when it was done, and if it survives 10 years I'll be surprised. The people who paved my driveway, pretty much ripped me off, and since there is no codes or other standard, I'm just out $14,000. they were supposedly out of Texas, but the phone number is bogus.

[DeanMoore]

and J-boxes wouldn't drive up prices much either. we had a nursing home fire a few years back, the wiring in the crawl space was simply wire-nutted, and wrapped in duct-tape. the results of the fire investigation were released, but with little fanfare, so as not to stir up trouble in the building community.

on the other side though, some stuff will drive up the price, but might well be worth it. typical homes will have balloon construction, which wont hold up well in strong storms. where a struss roof with straps will hold up much better with far less damage. cost more now? yes. I understand that.