Homeowners beware! Some claiming to be home improvement contractors and construction experts lack the state-mandated license.

Protect Yourself – Contract with An Actively Licensed Professional

Regrettably, there are plenty of unsavory people claiming to be home improvement contractors and construction experts, yet entirely lacking in the necessary requirements and active contractors license mandated by the state of California Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB).

Fortunately, there are ways you can protect yourself against the harms done by these scammers, whose existence and deceptive practices place the rest of the actively-licensed, bonded, and insured contractors in a highly compromised position. To learn more, read our blog on the 10 ways you can avoid the harm and problems that tend to come with inadvertently hiring an “imposter.”

Homeowners who have been scammed by imposters have often paid for substandard, shoddy, or even seriously unsafe construction work. Despite having paid that imposter as requested – sometimes in cash, and in full – these unsuspecting homeowners may never see their job started, or fully completed.

These lower or “special sale” prices are often offered at below market rates solely as a means to win your business away from the fully legitimate, licensed contractors, or to get your money and run.

Legitimate contractors have the overhead of:

• A current and active California contractor’s license (renewable every 2 years)
• Continuously maintaining a $25,000 Contractor License Bond to operate legally
• Workers compensation insurance coverage for all of their employees
• Paying the annual fees for all essential business licenses within their service area
• The added costs of running a legitimate California business operation
  

Any legitimate business must cover its business costs to sustain itself, but there are added costs for licensed contractors, and added protections provided by the state of California specific to homeowners. It’s well worth understanding these added costs and consumer protections!  

Keep in mind that imposters want and need your hard-earned money to fund their unlicensed (or inadequately insured) construction business. Some of these scammers may have some construction experience, so they can certainly prove both convincing and very charming. They may have started their business as a “handyman” service, but then expanded to capture the bigger dollar projects they want. It’s important to keep in mind that these imposters aren’t properly licensed or insured. They should NOT be entitled to win or do your project, and cannot be trusted to complete it correctly – and they are NOT authorized to pull permits.

This blog is part 8 of an important 10 part series that encourages homeowners to “Beware of Imposters.” This special blog series is focused on helping California homeowners identify and avoid unlicensed contractors, who we refer to as “imposters.” 

Find the Right Contractor for Your Home Remodel (Beware of Imposters Part 1 of 10)

Finding the Right Contractor for Your Home Improvement Project (Beware of Imposters Part 2 of 10)

Helping Homeowners to Find the Right Contractor (Beware of Imposters Part 3 of 10)

Finding the Right Contractor for Your Home Construction Project (Part 4 of 10)

Finding the Right Home Improvement Contractor (Part 5 of 10)

Beware Imposters Masquerading as Competent Licensed Contractors (Part 6 of 10)

Beware Imposters: Surface Beauty ≠ Safe or Building Code Compliant (Part 7 of 10)

If you’re ready to begin your residential construction project and aware that a permit will be required, then call actively licensed (license #: 928715) and respectfully reliable full-service general contractor, Ed Neir Construction, at (707) 999-5878 (or text 408-368-7162) for a free estimate.

Ed Neir, General Contractor, License #: 928715