Quote:
Originally Posted by doodlemagic
I don't care whether someone is licensed or not if they do good work.
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You will when you become liable. The problem is that when you "hire" a unlicensed contractor they defacto become a employee. Your employee. Which means if they get hurt they can demand you pay for the injury.
Think it won't happen? Think again. It's no different than hiring a babysitter or maid. They slip and fall you can be held liable.
Another hurdle is if there is a issue with the job. Getting a unlicensed contractor to come back and repair on his dime is hard. Maybe if he's a honest Joe but most aren't. I had a contractors license at 23. It's not that hard to get it. Some of these guys isn't that they don't want it they CANT get it. Some have criminal records others don't have the finances to actually have a running business.
And if they do crappy work ( as a lot do) you have only the court as a recourse. With a licensed contractor you have things like bond insurance and their license you can go after if the job is bad/abandoned/wrong and they don't want to make it right.
I don't even look at a bid unless its licensed bonded and insured contractor. I've dealt and seen too many unlicensed contractors and what they are capable of
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