Ruminations on construction quality

[sdrealtor]

[quote=AN][quote=sdrealtor]A few years back AN and I were going round and round so I picked a few streets in established neighborhoods and found far greater longevity.[/quote]
Are you sure that was me? I could have sworn I had similar conversation w/ sdcellar but I was the one who say the majority stayed in their homes much longer than 5-7 years. I know I always have this stance on this topic because my parents bought their house over 20 years ago and they’re still living in it right now. A lot of their neighbors are still there as well.[/quote]

Maybe it wasnt you but I thought it was. Could have been anyone I guess. It was at least 2 years ago.

[UCGal]

[quote=rnen]Being one of those “licensed schmuck”s I will agree that the board does little to enforce quality but it does provide a valuable resource for those that do experience difficulties with their job.[/quote]

Some recourse… but only if you have overwhelming evidence and a tenacious attitude. It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.

The one good thing about using licensed contractors – they’re required to have bonds. We may never see a penny in judgements – but we were able to collect the full bond. (Now if we could get the rest of the money we’re out.)

But overall – the CSLB is not exactly consumer friendly… But I’d still stick with licensed contractors, vs unlicensed… if only for the bonding.

[UCGal]

[quote=rnen]Being one of those “licensed schmuck”s I will agree that the board does little to enforce quality but it does provide a valuable resource for those that do experience difficulties with their job.[/quote]

Some recourse… but only if you have overwhelming evidence and a tenacious attitude. It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.

The one good thing about using licensed contractors – they’re required to have bonds. We may never see a penny in judgements – but we were able to collect the full bond. (Now if we could get the rest of the money we’re out.)

But overall – the CSLB is not exactly consumer friendly… But I’d still stick with licensed contractors, vs unlicensed… if only for the bonding.

[UCGal]

[quote=rnen]Being one of those “licensed schmuck”s I will agree that the board does little to enforce quality but it does provide a valuable resource for those that do experience difficulties with their job.[/quote]

Some recourse… but only if you have overwhelming evidence and a tenacious attitude. It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.

The one good thing about using licensed contractors – they’re required to have bonds. We may never see a penny in judgements – but we were able to collect the full bond. (Now if we could get the rest of the money we’re out.)

But overall – the CSLB is not exactly consumer friendly… But I’d still stick with licensed contractors, vs unlicensed… if only for the bonding.

[UCGal]

[quote=rnen]Being one of those “licensed schmuck”s I will agree that the board does little to enforce quality but it does provide a valuable resource for those that do experience difficulties with their job.[/quote]

Some recourse… but only if you have overwhelming evidence and a tenacious attitude. It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.

The one good thing about using licensed contractors – they’re required to have bonds. We may never see a penny in judgements – but we were able to collect the full bond. (Now if we could get the rest of the money we’re out.)

But overall – the CSLB is not exactly consumer friendly… But I’d still stick with licensed contractors, vs unlicensed… if only for the bonding.

[UCGal]

[quote=rnen]Being one of those “licensed schmuck”s I will agree that the board does little to enforce quality but it does provide a valuable resource for those that do experience difficulties with their job.[/quote]

Some recourse… but only if you have overwhelming evidence and a tenacious attitude. It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.

The one good thing about using licensed contractors – they’re required to have bonds. We may never see a penny in judgements – but we were able to collect the full bond. (Now if we could get the rest of the money we’re out.)

But overall – the CSLB is not exactly consumer friendly… But I’d still stick with licensed contractors, vs unlicensed… if only for the bonding.

[NotCranky]

As Brian says skill will get the Job done. Licenses have there place too and so do other adornments a contractor can add to his or her skill set/persona to make it in the niche they want to fill and according to the extent they want to try to fill it.

Another pragmatic factor is really also about the contractor as much as the client; How much do you have to lose? Licensing and liability insurance go hand in hand when personal assets could be targeted. Beyond these concerns word of mouth and a handshake is really pretty reasonable in many situations.There are other ways to accomplish risk management.

Not everyone who needs a little plumbing or painting or even a room addition or full house can afford,or wants to pay the guy who preps himself for a designer niche and needs to protect a bundle of assets or future earnings.

Everyone needs to make a living, so I don’t begrudge anyone for “cutting into the possible work available” or lowering the possible value of that work. What you do when you do that is beg for the government, because you took a test and paid your $300 every two years to stay “active”, to fend for registered contractors with it’s regulations against people who don’t do those small things. That is just not “small government” enough for me. I understand that quality and safety are issues but saying someone can only take jobs for $750 or less, in materials and labor, if they are unlicensed is not taking care of that. Sounds like stratification to me.

I think it is likely that those who complain about unlicensed contractors or against those who employ “illegals” or pay cash to unlicensed subs, have their secret tricks too. They are just tricks that don’t hinder them in the particular niche they are striving to work.

[NotCranky]

As Brian says skill will get the Job done. Licenses have there place too and so do other adornments a contractor can add to his or her skill set/persona to make it in the niche they want to fill and according to the extent they want to try to fill it.

Another pragmatic factor is really also about the contractor as much as the client; How much do you have to lose? Licensing and liability insurance go hand in hand when personal assets could be targeted. Beyond these concerns word of mouth and a handshake is really pretty reasonable in many situations.There are other ways to accomplish risk management.

Not everyone who needs a little plumbing or painting or even a room addition or full house can afford,or wants to pay the guy who preps himself for a designer niche and needs to protect a bundle of assets or future earnings.

Everyone needs to make a living, so I don’t begrudge anyone for “cutting into the possible work available” or lowering the possible value of that work. What you do when you do that is beg for the government, because you took a test and paid your $300 every two years to stay “active”, to fend for registered contractors with it’s regulations against people who don’t do those small things. That is just not “small government” enough for me. I understand that quality and safety are issues but saying someone can only take jobs for $750 or less, in materials and labor, if they are unlicensed is not taking care of that. Sounds like stratification to me.

I think it is likely that those who complain about unlicensed contractors or against those who employ “illegals” or pay cash to unlicensed subs, have their secret tricks too. They are just tricks that don’t hinder them in the particular niche they are striving to work.

[NotCranky]

As Brian says skill will get the Job done. Licenses have there place too and so do other adornments a contractor can add to his or her skill set/persona to make it in the niche they want to fill and according to the extent they want to try to fill it.

Another pragmatic factor is really also about the contractor as much as the client; How much do you have to lose? Licensing and liability insurance go hand in hand when personal assets could be targeted. Beyond these concerns word of mouth and a handshake is really pretty reasonable in many situations.There are other ways to accomplish risk management.

Not everyone who needs a little plumbing or painting or even a room addition or full house can afford,or wants to pay the guy who preps himself for a designer niche and needs to protect a bundle of assets or future earnings.

Everyone needs to make a living, so I don’t begrudge anyone for “cutting into the possible work available” or lowering the possible value of that work. What you do when you do that is beg for the government, because you took a test and paid your $300 every two years to stay “active”, to fend for registered contractors with it’s regulations against people who don’t do those small things. That is just not “small government” enough for me. I understand that quality and safety are issues but saying someone can only take jobs for $750 or less, in materials and labor, if they are unlicensed is not taking care of that. Sounds like stratification to me.

I think it is likely that those who complain about unlicensed contractors or against those who employ “illegals” or pay cash to unlicensed subs, have their secret tricks too. They are just tricks that don’t hinder them in the particular niche they are striving to work.

[NotCranky]

As Brian says skill will get the Job done. Licenses have there place too and so do other adornments a contractor can add to his or her skill set/persona to make it in the niche they want to fill and according to the extent they want to try to fill it.

Another pragmatic factor is really also about the contractor as much as the client; How much do you have to lose? Licensing and liability insurance go hand in hand when personal assets could be targeted. Beyond these concerns word of mouth and a handshake is really pretty reasonable in many situations.There are other ways to accomplish risk management.

Not everyone who needs a little plumbing or painting or even a room addition or full house can afford,or wants to pay the guy who preps himself for a designer niche and needs to protect a bundle of assets or future earnings.

Everyone needs to make a living, so I don’t begrudge anyone for “cutting into the possible work available” or lowering the possible value of that work. What you do when you do that is beg for the government, because you took a test and paid your $300 every two years to stay “active”, to fend for registered contractors with it’s regulations against people who don’t do those small things. That is just not “small government” enough for me. I understand that quality and safety are issues but saying someone can only take jobs for $750 or less, in materials and labor, if they are unlicensed is not taking care of that. Sounds like stratification to me.

I think it is likely that those who complain about unlicensed contractors or against those who employ “illegals” or pay cash to unlicensed subs, have their secret tricks too. They are just tricks that don’t hinder them in the particular niche they are striving to work.

[NotCranky]

As Brian says skill will get the Job done. Licenses have there place too and so do other adornments a contractor can add to his or her skill set/persona to make it in the niche they want to fill and according to the extent they want to try to fill it.

Another pragmatic factor is really also about the contractor as much as the client; How much do you have to lose? Licensing and liability insurance go hand in hand when personal assets could be targeted. Beyond these concerns word of mouth and a handshake is really pretty reasonable in many situations.There are other ways to accomplish risk management.

Not everyone who needs a little plumbing or painting or even a room addition or full house can afford,or wants to pay the guy who preps himself for a designer niche and needs to protect a bundle of assets or future earnings.

Everyone needs to make a living, so I don’t begrudge anyone for “cutting into the possible work available” or lowering the possible value of that work. What you do when you do that is beg for the government, because you took a test and paid your $300 every two years to stay “active”, to fend for registered contractors with it’s regulations against people who don’t do those small things. That is just not “small government” enough for me. I understand that quality and safety are issues but saying someone can only take jobs for $750 or less, in materials and labor, if they are unlicensed is not taking care of that. Sounds like stratification to me.

I think it is likely that those who complain about unlicensed contractors or against those who employ “illegals” or pay cash to unlicensed subs, have their secret tricks too. They are just tricks that don’t hinder them in the particular niche they are striving to work.

[svelte]

[quote=UCGal]
It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.
[/quote]

I guess I’m confused about why your husband didn’t know of any reputable contractors, since he’s an architect. I would think they would personally know many.

[svelte]

[quote=UCGal]
It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.
[/quote]

I guess I’m confused about why your husband didn’t know of any reputable contractors, since he’s an architect. I would think they would personally know many.

[svelte]

[quote=UCGal]
It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.
[/quote]

I guess I’m confused about why your husband didn’t know of any reputable contractors, since he’s an architect. I would think they would personally know many.

[svelte]

[quote=UCGal]
It took almost a year to get our complaint to show on our former contractors license… he still has active status – but at least the complaint is disclosed and the state prosecutor is pursuing him in an administrative law court. If we hadn’t nagged the CSLB investigator it would have been dropped. (She was incredibly overworked – so we had to be squeeky wheels.) And our case was pretty straightforward, well documented, abandonment.
[/quote]

I guess I’m confused about why your husband didn’t know of any reputable contractors, since he’s an architect. I would think they would personally know many.

[Author]

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