Contractor's Qualifications - Part 1

9/7/2009

Choosing a contractor to work on your home can be very confusing. Let's assume that you are a homeowner in the area from Beaufort to Savannah, GA. What should you know?

Let's Start with Licensing:

SC Issues the following: Look up license holders at  verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/Resbu/Resbu.aspx

1. General Contractors - Generally for Commercial (Tested, bonded, and Citizenship verified)
2. Residential Home Builders - 3 stories high (Tested, bonded, and Citizenship verified) Frank Watson Owner of Decorative Concrete & Design, Inc has had this license since 1989 in SC.
3. Specialty Contractors- (No Test, Bond or legal citizenship verified) Just a $50.00 application fee and three letters from their friends saying they do good work.

 Residential Specialty Registration

The Residential Specialty Registration is required for the following classifications of residential work over $200. An exam is not required by the State (unless otherwise noted below). To obtain a Residential Specialty Registration Packet, call (803) 896-4696 or visit their Web site: www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/ResidentialBuilders.

• Plumber
• Electrician
• Painting
• Vinyl/Aluminum Siding
• Insulation Installer
• Roofing
• Floor Covering
• MasonryDrywall Install/Repair
• Carpentry
• Wall Paper Installer
• Heating/AC Installer (requires an exam and will be issued a license

The real point is how qualified is your contractor, and to whom is he accountable?