CSLB Warns to Prevent Scams People Should Hire Only State-Licensed Contractors

“The California State Licensing Board (CSLB) says to help prevent scams, people should hire only state-licensed contractors on projects of $500 or more for labor and material.” 

More news continues to flood marketplace surrounding arrest, fines, and unlawful activity surrounding contracting without a license. Just today News 10 ABC’s Michelle Ponto reported the following:   AUBURN, CA — A Roseville contractor was arrested after ripping off an 87-year-old Auburn woman. 

According to the Placer County district attorney, 30-year-old Leron Anthony Stephenson from Roseville bilked the elderly woman out of $13,500 for a tree removal project on her property. Stephenson cashed six checks, including four blank checks given by the victim.

Stephenson was given a one-year jail sentence and must pay back the $13,500 to the family of his victim.  The elderly woman died before the defendant changed his plea to guilty in April, said prosecutor Jim Deslaurier.

Stephenson, who pleaded to theft charges and contracting without a license, was also placed on five years probation and was given a suspended prison sentence of five years and four months when sentenced May 26 in Placer County Superior Court.

The California State Licensing Board (CSLB) says to help prevent these kinds of scams, people should hire only state-licensed contractors on projects of $500 or more for labor and material.

A contractor’s license number can be checked online at www.cslb.ca.gov or by calling (800) 321-2752.

More tips include:

— Get at least three bids and three references for past work from each bidder.

— Make sure all project expectations are in writing.

— Only sign the contract if you completely understand all terms. 

— Do not pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000, whichever is less.

— Do not pay in cash and do not let payments get ahead of the work.

By Michelle Ponto, News10 http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=90343&catid=2

To understand more on who needs a contractor’s license visit  http://makemeacontractor.com/California-contractors-license-cslb.cfm

CSLB Sting Operations How To Not Get Stung

Daily we see reports of the CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) sending unlicensed operators to jail.  Just recently in July 2010 CSLB stings stung 13 illegal operators, including violators of state energy-saving programs. We thought it best to share an overview of what the CSLB -Contractors State License Board, considers an illegal contractor and share what penalties these operators are potentially subject to. 

According to the CSLB…

Who is considered an illegal contractor?

It is illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work on any project valued at $500 or more in labor and materials. Besides being illegal, unlicensed contractors lack accountability and have a high rate of involvement in construction scams. They also are unfair competition for licensed contractors who operate with bonds, insurance and other responsible business practices.

What is the CSLB doing to stop illegal activity?

The Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) is set up to monitor and combat illegal activity. SWIFT has teams around the state that conduct stings on a regular basis and sweep construction sites.

SWIFT also conducts joint operations and sweeps with other state agencies dedicated to combating underground activity. The partnerships with other agencies raise the penalties and fines for violators by increasing the scope of violations to include taxes, illegal payrolls, and workers compensation and worker safety.

CSLB :http://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/ReportUnlicensedActivity/WhatIsIllegalContractorActivity.asp 

Penalties & Fines

“If you’re caught contracting without a license, you will likely have to go in front of a judge to answer to misdemeanor charges, which carry a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine, and a potential administrative fine of $200 to $15,000. If you get caught again, the penalties get stiffer. You could face a mandatory 90 day jail sentence as well as a fine of 20 percent of the contract price of the work performed, or a $4,500 fine.”, according to the CSLB.

Don’t get stung! Protect your future:

  • Get Licensed this is critical and the law
  • Do not engage in contracting work on any project valued at $500 or more in labor and materials
  • Advertised accurately

View Video of CSLB Sting in action

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-61eZ9EH7U]

Gain The Competitive Edge

As the Construction market landscape continues to be more competitive now more than ever it is important to obtain a Contractor’s License and or additional licenses to obtain a competitive edge. With limited dollars to spend on home improvement and construction consumers are compelled to hire the best Contractor they can find and are looking for the most cost effective opportunities.

Many Consumers are not taking a chance at hiring an unlicensed Contractor for fear of potential additional cost to their projects. Consumer skepticism includes fear of unlicensed operator’s not carrying adequate insurance coverage necessary to protect them from potential claims. Unlicensed operators do not carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees as required by California Labor Code or the contractor license bonds required by the state’s Business and Professions (B&P) Code. In this case, should a problem arise the homeowner may be liable if a worker is hurt on their property and without financial recourse if something goes wrong with the project. Many consumers want to avoid costly pitfalls such as these by hiring an experienced Licensed Contractor. For example “badly installed heating or air-conditioning units cost California families money, harm the state’s ability to meet important energy and environmental goals, and can even make people sick,” said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. Additionally, Failure to obtain a building department permit and have proper follow-up by a California Energy Commission-certified inspector could result in additional expense and risk for the homeowner. A deficient HVAC system may affect a property’s resale value, and could harm the state’s air quality and environment. Inspections ensure that a system is safe, will produce lower utility bills, and help the state and consumer meet energy-efficiency goals. [CSLB]

B&P Code also requires licensees to place their license number in all advertisements. Unlicensed contractors can advertise and perform projects valued at less than $500 but must state in their ads that they are not licensed. A Licensed Contractor in this case would be a more competitive candidate.

The Contractors State Licensing Board works diligently to protect California Consumers from costly mistakes. Recently, four unlicensed operators contracting to replace the air-conditioning unit of a Rancho Bernardo condominium were among the 13 snared for violating California home improvement contracting laws during an undercover contractor sting operation on July 28 and 29, 2010. The Contractors State License Board’s (CSLB) Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) was assisted by the San Diego Police and City Attorney, San Diego County District Attorney, and the California Department of Insurance. SWIFT members posed as homeowners seeking bids for the installation of a new air conditioner, and for plumbing, painting, and tile work. “Stings like this help keep California consumers from making an expensive mistake.”

Several industries and occupations also require or prefer licensed contractors which equates to a competitive landscape:

 

 

 

 

How might you gain a competitive edge?

Get Licensed

 Network with other contractors for more business

 Continue your education with seminars and certification programs

 Advertise effectively

 Create a Corporation or DBA to protect your company

 Network and get connected via social media outlets such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

 Price competitively

 Do the best work and build a stellar reputation

 Ask for referrals

Helping Our Community & Friends

Contractors State License Services is proud to announce the John Baker Scholarship.  We believe in serving the California Construction community by providing license examination prep.  Our ongoing commitment to our students and to further education continues to be a high priority for CSLS.  Scholarships are awarded on various criteria reflecting the values of our organization. “Given the economic times it is important to give back in any way that we can.”, says Susan Ishii, General Manager   In doing so we have assisted a number of students not only earn their Contractors License but help reduce the burden of tuition. The Scholarship includes choice of one program valued at $899. This gives students access to over 25 school locations, materials, as well as seminars.

Meet a few of our Scholarship recipients  http://www.makemeacontractor.com/contractor-scholarship.cfm

Or Learn how to participate in our scholarship offerings by visiting  http://www.makemeacontractor.com/free-contractors-scholarship.cfm[slideshow]

Construction Math Made Easy

30 Percent of Students Report Having Math Anxiety

 30 percent of students report having math anxiety. We believe those statistics may be even higher considering most that struggle with math avoid it like the plaque. Therefore the percentages likely are a much higher percentage rate.

“When you’re building a house, you would never think of trying to put up the second floor before the first floor. Building is a sequential process. The same is true in math, each concept builds on the ones that came before. In history, you can understand the Depression pretty well even if you didn’t study World War I. But in math it’s different, you need to understand factoring very well or you won’t be able to solve equations.

This means that if you’re strapped for time, the one course that’s most dangerous to let slide is your math course. With other courses, if you don’t understand day 11 you can probably follow the lecture on day 12. With math, you have to understand day 11 or you’ll likely be lost in day 12. Construction Math is no different.

The moral is that you need to stay current. If ever you don’t understand something, get help on it right away. Otherwise you’ve just knocked away the first floor of your house, and you know what that will do when you try to put up the second floor. ”  [Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems]

Break the anxiety of Construction Math by:

1.       Being prepared

2.       Seek qualified instruction

3.       Practice Practice Practice

4.       Test your skill-set

5.       Keep a positive frame of mind

 Review the video file and contact us for more tips!

 www.MakeMeAContractor.com

Lead paint poisoning affects over one million children today according to the Environmental Protection Agency

Lead paint poisoning affects over one million children today according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  “Adverse health effects include learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and speech delays. If not done in a lead-safe manner, renovations and repair activities that disturb lead-based paint can expose children, as well as adults, to harmful levels of lead dust.” Simply said, it can cause exposure to lead and result in serious health consequences, especially for young children.

Because of the potential harmful levels of lead dust the EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe work practices aimed at preventing lead poisoning in children. The new federal Lead-Based Renovation, Repair and Painting requirements may be applicable to you as a Contractor! Failure to comply with the new requirements is a violation of the law. Further, penalties are significant. Those firms found to be non-compliant may be liable for civil penalties of up to $32,000 per violation.

The bottom line, the EPA Certified Renovator certification is a national requirement as of April 22, 2010 for anyone renovating, repairing and/or painting a pre-1978 home or child-occupied facility. –http://MakeMeAContractor.com

As a result Contractors must obtain the EPA Certified Renovator certification under Section 402 or TSCA. The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Certification course teaches the participant how to comply with the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule and the HUD Lead Safe Housing Rule. Additionally, the certification will teach Contractors how to perform lead-safe work practices safely and effectively. A successful completion of this course designates the participant an EPA Certified Renovator and therefore compliancy with the law.  Only an EPA approved vendor such as Contractors State License Services must provide lead-safe construction education programs.

Who should be concerned– All General Contractors, Renovation Contractors, Property Manager, Painters, Plumbers, Carpenters, and Electricians.

What Does Research Say About Online Learning?

What Does Research Say About Online Learning?According to Online Learning Statistics By Jamie Littlefield, About.com Guide Online learning has made a major impact in the world of education. Recent studies show that online learning is an effective and reputable way to learn. With that in mind MakeMeAContractor.com has created Online Exam Preparation Courses to help our students with an efficient method for preparing for their Contractors License. 

According to a 2009 meta study from the Department of Education: “Students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.” Students who mix online learning with traditional coursework (i.e. blended learning) do even better.  [Source: Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies, United States Department of Education.]  We have found that students are consistently looking  to study at their own pace. In addition to our in school classroom environment we availed a convenient online course to add an additional format of self study to support the needs of our students.

Trying to determine if which learning format is best for you?

While some people thrive on the independence and freedom offered through online classes, others find themselves regretting their decision and wishing they had enrolled at a traditional classroom instead. Successful and happy distance learners have a few characteristics in common. Compare yourself to the following list to determine whether or not online classes are a good fit for your personality and habits.  (Adapted from Jamie Littlefield, About.com Guide)

1. Successful distance learners do just as well, if not better, without people looking over their shoulders. While some people need teachers to keep them motivated and on-task, distance learners are able to motivate themselves. The most successful students are self-motivated and set their own goals.

2. Successful distance learners never (or at least rarely) procrastinate. You’ll rarely find them putting off assignments. These students enjoy the freedom of working at their own pace and appreciate the ability to complete their work in as much time as it takes them.

3.  Successful distance learners can resist constant distractions. Whether it’s the phone ringing off the hook, the kids screaming in the kitchen, or the allure of the tv, everyone faces distractions. Successful students know how to filter out the constant disturbances that threaten their progress. They feel comfortable turning down an invitation or letting the machine pick up the phone when they know there is work to be done. If that is not the case the classroom learning format is perfect for you.

If you have few of the qualities of these successful students earning your Contractors License employing both self-paced online study and in class study is right for you? Take a look at the opportunities through Contractors State License Services.

Online Exam Preparation Courses
   

Our Convenient Online Courses Can Help! Contractors Online Learning and Training is the perfect, no-excuse learning method.

Contractors Online Learning and Training

This learning format offers comprehensive and cost effective, self-paced courses 24 hours a day. The online courses combine a review of exam topics, a review of exam practice questions and 50-question course finals in an interactive, accessible format. Some courses utilize audio and video podcasts to bring CSLS classroom courses to you.

Individualize Your Online Exam Preparation Program

Pick and choose your specific areas of study or purchase a bundled program that will provide an overview of multiple subjects for your study needs.

Use these programs to supplement your current study program or use as a crash course of study to test your knowledge in specific areas.

Registration and Purchase Information

To purchase a course or view free content, visit the COLT Registration page and following the instructions to view the list of available courses.

Available courses include:

  • California Contractor Law & Business Exam Prep

 

  • General Engineering Contractor (GEN A) Exam Prep

 

  • General Building Contractor (GEN B) Exam Prep

 

  • Specialty Contractor Trade Exam Prep for the most popular trades with additional courses being added weekly

 Contact us at: [email protected] or visit http://www.makemeacontractor.com/colt.cfm

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Welcome to the Contractors State License Services official blog!  We are excited to share helpful hints, news, and tips to both our students, alumni, industry professionals and future students. 

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