CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Sadly time and time again we hear of this being done. In most cases the person holding the Construction Supervisor’s License or CSL is pulling permits for jobs NOT being completed or managed by them for a kickback. In many cases the CSL holder is doing this for a fee to assist those that do not have their CSL and can not pull a permit legally.
A Construction Supervisor is licensed to supervise the construction of buildings, or major additions or remodels of existing building. If the CSL holder did no work on the job, or supervised the job, (maybe you hired a totally different person/company) then this would be illegal.
You can report it to the local building department or you could also report it to the business licensing agency in your area. If the contractor is required to have a contractor’s license to offer service in his field and he does not have it – they can pull his business license. (According to the state website, corporations get business licenses from the state, small businesses/sole proprietorships from local townships and cities. This is in additional to any required state professions license needed to do the type of work he is doing.)
On the state contractor licensing level, below are several links about home improvement contractor complaints and a link to the place to report a contractor who you think is breaking the law.
Note, in the first link there are exceptions to the licensing law – see FAQ #2 – like for certain types of “architectural finishes” like flooring and cabinets and painting and such, and also if the total job amount is not over $500 or the contractor does not do over $5000/year in business, and so on – read through the exceptions.
What is the difference between an HIC Registration and a Construction Supervisor License (CSL)?
Search the Massachusetts database for a CSL to see if they have a valid license
Search the Massachusetts database for an HIC license to see if they have a valid license
As the owner of Beantown Home Improvements that tries very hard to do everything by the book, it’s sad to see how many times this happens by those not willing to put forward the time, effort and money to become fully licensed, and we’re not even talking insurance yet.
In most cases from our experience it’s the homeowners looking for the cheapest price from some guy running his business out of a truck that hires these people. Whether or not this becomes a problem is another thing.
Still, it is THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOMEOWNER to do their due diligence.
Protect yourself! Stay informed, check all licenses and insurances, call references, and then if everything checks out, make sure to sign a contract!
#CSL #HIC #Contractors #IllegalContractor