Current county contractor requirements hurts jobs, consumers (Sarasota, North Port: 2014, renting) - Punta Gorda - Port Charlotte - Florida (FL) -Charlotte County - City-Data Forum

Restrain · 12-09-2014, 06:27 AM

If you have tried to get a contractor to return a call for a job, welcome to the club. Then you get the bid and find county mandated charges raising the costs.

Charlotte Co requires engineer plans for virtually everything. I am trying to get a porch cover for my home. I have called several contractors, had exactly 1 show up, no bid. Job is too small. And I have to pay for an engineer to draw up plans. An engineer to draw up simple plans for a 6x8 porch cover with 1 corner support post? This is a build-in-your-sleep job for a handyman, but I have to get a permit, and the permit requires all this extra non-needed stuff.

Then you have the fact that to operate in a town, you have to be licensed by the city. This stifles new businesses. For example, there are so few licensed power spray providers (yes, these have to be licensed as contractors by towns and the county) in Punta Gorda that one lady has been on the waiting lot since July for a company to come out and power wash the lanai and pool area. A company that has been in business since 2001 that sells golf carts applied to sell its product in North Port, got its permit in 2014, 13 years after applying.

People wonder why there are a lack of jobs. Look no further than the business-choking regulations that exist. And any change will be bitterly fought by those who have survived the mess as they ave a virtual monopoly.

MartyGras · 12-09-2014, 06:46 AM

I'm pretty sure the county requirements only echo state regulations

Gary

mr&mrssunshine · 12-09-2014, 07:33 AM

Whilst not arguing with your logic, the engineering requirements may well be because of hurricane standards...what is a simple job elsewhere has to withstand much higher winds here.....

now the licensing thing, you are much closer to hitting the nail.

A general contractor license is state wide and does cover every county. BUT it involves a lot of hours studying, a large amount spent on bonds ,insurances etc and is beyond some peoples resources...Im sure Coastal Chic will back this up but it costs around $8-10000 in various 'costs' just to open the doors every year.

NOW, if you are a smaller more specialized person, painter, tile guy etc then a county license is sufficient and slightly easier to obtain, but the problem is CC want a license for everything and the scope of work is very limited...carpenters for example (I think) need one for trim, one for cabinets, one for framing.....a handyman can hardly do anything..if he also paints he needs a paint license , cabinets...carpentry...and so on.

I am not advocating letting cowboys run riot but there has to be a sensible median.....I know guys who are qualified, capable and honest yet cant get licenses because of poor credit or they have to take a test when they have been doing the job for donkeys years.

I have spoken to a lot of tradesmen who say they simply don't work in CC as its just a huge PITA, whereas Sarasota cty is much less stringent............

Macgregorsailor51 · 12-09-2014, 09:18 AM

#1.There seems to be a LOT of Good Ol Boy System at play.. #2.License -V- Tax there is a difference. To be licensed you must show competency.. a Tax is just a source of revenue. Many of the credentials I see are more of a Tax and a Tracking System than for proof of ability and knowledge. I Believe, Tracking is a good idea though.. There are FAR TOO MANY Fly By Nights Down Here and I suspect many maybe most are cutting deals for cash. I suspect many have not the knowledge to be paid to perform that task them claim to have mastered.. Pay me cash so I dont have to pay taxes. Tax Cheats hurt us ALL. The Cost and Expense of opening and maintaining a business in CC, I cannot address as I never looked far enough into attaining my License as a contractor. For me the requirements were crazy.. After working at my craft for over 30 years with proof of such and having successfully completed an approved Trade School in the upper 10% of my class again with proof in hand, and having worked on and run Huge Jobs all over America and 1 in Mexcico , CC wanted me to work for a local Contractor for no less than 2 years as an apprentice????REALLY??

MartyGras · 12-09-2014, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macgregorsailor51

#1.There seems to be a LOT of Good Ol Boy System at play.. #2.License -V- Tax there is a difference. To be licensed you must show competency.. a Tax is just a source of revenue. Many of the credentials I see are more of a Tax and a Tracking System than for proof of ability and knowledge. I Believe, Tracking is a good idea though.. There are FAR TOO MANY Fly By Nights Down Here and I suspect many maybe most are cutting deals for cash. I suspect many have not the knowledge to be paid to perform that task them claim to have mastered.. Pay me cash so I dont have to pay taxes. Tax Cheats hurt us ALL. The Cost and Expense of opening and maintaining a business in CC, I cannot address as I never looked far enough into attaining my License as a contractor. For me the requirements were crazy.. After working at my craft for over 30 years with proof of such and having successfully completed an approved Trade School in the upper 10% of my class again with proof in hand, and having worked on and run Huge Jobs all over America and 1 in Mexcico , CC wanted me to work for a local Contractor for no less than 2 years as an apprentice????REALLY??

And that's why cash is king!

I always use licensed people for everything however I always pay cash....what they do on their end is their business.

I was watching the CCTV Chanel one evening and they had an open forum Ask The Building Department.

There were a few interesting things I got out of the program
1) you need a permit for almost everything. If you want to flip the boards on your dock because the top is weathered. You need a repair permit.......Give me a break!

2) if you use unlicensed contractors to do work you don't have to pay them and there is nothing they can do about it. They told a story about a woman who had built multiple houses. She would use unlicensed contractors and then not pay them.

Gary

PCHI · 12-09-2014, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restrain

If you have tried to get a contractor to return a call for a job, welcome to the club. Then you get the bid and find county mandated charges raising the costs.

Charlotte Co requires engineer plans for virtually everything. I am trying to get a porch cover for my home. I have called several contractors, had exactly 1 show up, no bid. Job is too small. And I have to pay for an engineer to draw up plans. An engineer to draw up simple plans for a 6x8 porch cover with 1 corner support post? This is a build-in-your-sleep job for a handyman, but I have to get a permit, and the permit requires all this extra non-needed stuff.

Then you have the fact that to operate in a town, you have to be licensed by the city. This stifles new businesses. For example, there are so few licensed power spray providers (yes, these have to be licensed as contractors by towns and the county) in Punta Gorda that one lady has been on the waiting lot since July for a company to come out and power wash the lanai and pool area. A company that has been in business since 2001 that sells golf carts applied to sell its product in North Port, got its permit in 2014, 13 years after applying.

People wonder why there are a lack of jobs. Look no further than the business-choking regulations that exist. And any change will be bitterly fought by those who have survived the mess as they ave a virtual monopoly.

We are not that unique, SW Florida, that the current requirements are needed. Ask any GC working in the community if they think the licensing is needed and they will say yes. Why because they jumped through all the hoops to get one. Ask that same contractor to bid a smallish project and hold on to your hat. That is if you can get one to actually bid. Common sense quit being used many years ago in CC and best I can tell it will never return. The days of hiring a 30yr tradesman to do home maintenance job or small repair/rebuild are over. You can complain but its not going to change till the contractors in the area put pressure on Charlotte county to loosen the reigns and at this point they have no reason to do so. I have been saying this for years.......

SeaRay35 · 12-09-2014, 10:12 AM

So you are saying you need a specialized license for different phases of carpentry? That is absurd

!
I agree 100% on licensing, which is needed here in NJ, but WOW!
I guess I wont be working in CC when I relocate!

Macgregorsailor51 · 12-09-2014, 11:01 AM

Playing the game of , What HE does is his business, only makes it harder for HONEST Contractors. Its like Cancer.. A little cheating here and a little there and .. Recieving solen goods is a crime.. somehow I SEE a Parralle .. Here in SWF There are contractors making a living off RENTING their Licenses for a % off the top.

PCHI · 12-09-2014, 11:14 AM

It makes you wonder how other parts of the country get along without all this licensing nonsense. Everyone must be getting ripped off and taken advantage of. No? I've worked in Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma and have friends that have worked other areas of the country and all agree this is the worst place to try to make a honest living. Its all total BS, Follow the money and all will be answered.

MartyGras · 12-09-2014, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macgregorsailor51

Here in SWF There are contractors making a living off RENTING their Licenses for a % off the top.

Wouldn't that be legal? Surely everyone working for a licensed contractor is not individually licensed.

Wouldn't the responsibility for making sure the work was done properly would fall to the licensed contractor and also wouldn't the licensed contractor be the one listened on the permits?

Gary