- Sacramento County
- Sacramento Real Estate Videos
- Placer County
- El Dorado County
- Yolo County
- Home Buyer
- Fun Things
- Realtor
- Seller
- Real Estate
- Mortgage
- Condo
- Statistics by City
- Investor
- Living Green
Archives
Steps for Hiring a Vendor
Step 1 - Decide Who Will Do the Work:
A. Structural (including structural pest control), Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical, Decorative and Landscaping work should be done by a California Licensed Contractor.
B. Handyman services - laborer should have a current business license.
C. See What You Should Know Before You Hire A Contractor free booklet.
Step 2 - Locating The Company or Individual Workman:
A. Telephone Directory yellow pages
B. Your friends and neighbors or Homeowners Association
Step 3 - Company or Tradesperson Should Provide:
A. Local references with phone numbers you can call
B. Copies of their current liability insurance
C. Certificate of Workers Compensation unless they are self-employed, but they could still make a claim against you if they get injured on the job
D. Copy of their Business License and Contractors Number
E. Copy of their fully executed contract and work order
Step 4 - Take Action:
A. Call the references and ask if they would hire them again? Did they like the work? Did they come back if there was a problem?
B. Verify if their insurance is current
C. Verify that they have paid their Workers Compensation through the period they will be working for you, or if they are self employed that your homeowners insurance will cover you if the worker is injured on your property.
D. Check the status of their Business License with the local City/County government agency.
E. Check the status of their State Contractors License: www.CSLB.CA.GOV or call 916-255-3900
Step 5 - Follow-Up:
A. Always sign a contract for work to be done. Handshakes are dangerous
B. Establish a completion date
C. Establish and agree upon total charges for work completion
These steps are for the Sacramento and surrounding CA areas as noted by the phone number but can certainly be used as a reference by anyone. Hiring a licensed contractor and checking their standing in the community will only serve as a real estate safe-guard for your home.
As an added note, major additions or remodel should always be done with a permit. If you are working with a licensed contractor, they know to pull a permit. In order to sell your house, you will be asked if the addition or remodel was permitted and if a licensed contractor performed the work.
Be prepared, not sorry!
