Handyman questions for realtors, or others who may know (Lakeland: insurance, house)

[beach43ofus]

I met a younger guy recenly who is a handyman, & is "slammed" with work.

Do handmen need to be licensed in FLA? I know contractors do, but how does FLA differentiate between a handman, & a contractor?

Does every person who does work for pay, on another person's residence, considered a contractor? what about home watch people?

Most handmen will do light electrical, like install a ceiling fan, or change a garbage disposal. Do they need to be a licensed electrician?

Do plumbers need to be licensed?...some handmen will add a sink out in a garage, for example.

I know all realtors have handymen they use regularly, so I thought they'd know about all this.

Does the state require every contractor to carry liability insurance? Workman's comp?

[Sunshine Rules]

A handyman must get an occupational license from the county / city in which they operate. As of now, they are not require to obtain any sort of state license.

There is a long list of items that a handyman CANNOT due, that require an appropriately licensed person or contractor.


Here's a list of things a handyman is generally allowed to do per FL statutes:

Patch Cracks & Holes in Existing Concrete
Caulking
Painting
Tile cleaning and repair
Exterior and Interior Cleaning
Yard Maintenance
Pressure Cleaning
Cleaning Gutters
Laying carpet, vinyl, wood, tile or laminate flooring
Replace interior doors & trim
Electrical Allowed:
Replace light bulbs with like type and wattage
Replace fuses of same size only
Plumbing Allowed:
Repair window A/C units
Replace disposable air filters
Replace exhaust vent piping for clothes dryer only


So going by these rules, changing out a garbage disposal or installing a sink in a garage require an appropriately licensed person rather than a handyman.

Remember, just because a handyman offers to do specific electrical or plumbing jobs doesn't mean they are allowed to do so by law and you as a home owner should keep in mind that work done without appropriate permits, without appropriately licensed workers, can get you in trouble with your insurance company and also cause problems down the road should you decide to sell your home.

[PBToast]

Thank you Sunshine! And thank you Beach for asking! I will bookmark this list.

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

A handyman must get an occupational license from the county / city in which they operate. As of now, they are not require to obtain any sort of state license.

There is a long list of items that a handyman CANNOT due, that require an appropriately licensed person or contractor.


Here's a list of things a handyman is generally allowed to do per FL statutes:

Patch Cracks & Holes in Existing Concrete
Caulking
Painting
Tile cleaning and repair
Exterior and Interior Cleaning
Yard Maintenance
Pressure Cleaning
Cleaning Gutters
Laying carpet, vinyl, wood, tile or laminate flooring
Replace interior doors & trim
Electrical Allowed:
Replace light bulbs with like type and wattage
Replace fuses of same size only
Plumbing Allowed:
Repair window A/C units
Replace disposable air filters
Replace exhaust vent piping for clothes dryer only


So going by these rules, changing out a garbage disposal or installing a sink in a garage require an appropriately licensed person rather than a handyman.

Remember, just because a handyman offers to do specific electrical or plumbing jobs doesn't mean they are allowed to do so by law and you as a home owner should keep in mind that work done without appropriate permits, without appropriately licensed workers, can get you in trouble with your insurance company and also cause problems down the road should you decide to sell your home.

Makes no sense that a handyman can repair a window AC but not replace a light fixture
What about replacing a garbage disposal? That is something a homeowner can do —
Are you saying that now you have to have a plumber or electrician do that???
My husband normally did ours but he is getting older and does not want to go under the sink for any reason now…

[mrviking]

My guess would be 15% of the handymen follow those limits. Most are jack of all trades with no license and insurance for none. If you asked for a license they would pull out their drivers license. Insurance forgettabout it. I once did a bid for Geico at their main office in Lakeland. The bid request looked like a phone book. Over 300 people requested to bid I was the only one to complete the application. Every year it comes up for bid and we raise our price each time. Its been twelve years and we still have the contract.

[Sunshine Rules]

The state of FL has statutes regulating what type of work requires a contractor's license here in FL. Virtually all plumbing work requires licensing. A handyman may add a water filter to a faucet, but even installing a dishwasher or garbage disposal is not allowed. Electrical work – Similar to plumbing, it's illegal to perform virtually any electrical work to a home in Florida without a contractor license.

What about sprinkler heads in your landscaping? An unlicensed handyman is unable per state law to replace or repair sprinkler heads. To do this work legally, they will need an Irrigation Contractor License.

So what if a handyman gets caught doing work that requires an appropriate license? If a handyman is found performing work that he/she is not licensed to perform, a citation in the amount of $500.00 can be issued. They may also be charged under Florida Statutes 489.127

As to insurance, all handymen should have general liability insurance to cover for claims involving bodily injuries and property damage resulting from their products and/or services. Unfortunately, many fail to carry this type of insurance.


As to what work a homeowner can do on their own property without having to pull permits or hire a contractor, the local building department is the best source I can recommend for finding out what is and isn't allowed when it comes to specific projects.

Generally, FL homeowners are able to pull their own permit and act as their own contractor under Florida Statute 489.103(7), under specific circumstances. Plus, the property must be titled in the homeowner's name and it must be the homeowner's primary residence. An Owner Builder Disclosure Statement must be provided and the property cannot be sold for one year from the date the work was completed. As mentioned above, the local building department is the best source for more info on pulling your own permits.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Makes no sense that a handyman can repair a window AC but not replace a light fixture
What about replacing a garbage disposal? That is something a homeowner can do —
Are you saying that now you have to have a plumber or electrician do that???
My husband normally did ours but he is getting older and does not want to go under the sink for any reason now…

Homeowners can do a LOT of work themselves on their own home. Homeowners can almost entirely wire and plumb their own house without any license, at least in this area. That's different, legally, than someone who is doing work on someone else's home, for hire. Higher standards apply to hire yourself out as a professional.

[Sunshine Rules]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

Homeowners can do a LOT of work themselves on their own home. Homeowners can almost entirely wire and plumb their own house without any license, at least in this area. That's different, legally, than someone who is doing work on someone else's home, for hire. Higher standards apply to hire yourself out as a professional.

Rules are different from state to state and in FL homeowners that perform work on their property without the proper permits can face fines and reconstruction issues (once proper permits are pulled). It is against local and state law to perform non-permitted construction work, and the various building departments enforcement divisions are cracking down on this type of activity, especially since the use of satellite photos has become so easily accessible.

One of the FL building departments has put together a good definition of when homeowners are required to have permits (whether they do the work or have it done):
"A building permit is required for all projects to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy or occupant content of a building or structure, or any outside area being used as part of the building’s designated occupancy, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, which is regulated by technical codes."

Homeowners in FL need to understand that most local jurisdictions in Florida record every transaction on your piece of property for perpetuity, including building permits for work. This is where people are getting in trouble. If caught, you could be forced to pay fines and tear out the improvements if they are not built to code or not permissible in your home. When you go to sell your home and your improvements do not have corresponding building permits, you have a huge problem. Then there's insurance issues. Here in FL,
a homeowner's lack of a permit is all your insurance company needs to deny your claim if, for instance, that wiring the homeowner did on their own without permits causes a house fire.