Things To Do In SW Florida

Contractor work comes with a lot of risks. When you work with heavy machinery, power lines, power tools, chemicals, sharp objects, heavy objects, etc., there is a higher probability you will get hurt. As a contractor, it’s in your best interest to follow and abide by safety guidelines of your company, of the tools your using, and of a work site.

Each year, there are new safety rules, precautions, tools, and more to ensure worker and work place safety. The goal is to reduce the number of accidents and injuries more and more each year.

We wanted to share with you some tips and things to remember to be safer on a work site or job as a contractor:

• Know were all the safety supplies are including the first aid kit.
• Always wear a hard hat when told.
• Always wear safety glasses and gloves when the job calls for it.
• Dress appropriately for the weather and job at hand.
• Watch where you’re stepping.
• Do not leave tools on the ground.
• Do not leave machinery running while unsupervised.
• Do not use equipment you do not know how to run.
• Always wear proper masks when using certain chemicals.
• Wear a seatbelt when operating heavy machinery.
• Keep all tools and equipment cleaned and properly stored away.
• Inspect all tools and machines weekly to make sure they are running properly.
• Do not carry or move more than you are physically capable of.
• Do not keep your back to a machine.
• Do not ignore safety signs.
• Do not be oblivious to things around you.
• Follow safety manuals for machines.
• Locate all wires, power lines, pipes, slopes, and other hazards at any job and let everyone know where they are.
• Wear reflective gear.

By following and practicing the above tips, you will likely reduce the number of workplace incidents that occur on you job sites.

Need a contractor’s license? We can help get you licensed. We are a Florida contractor’s licensing company. We know how to file and complete an application, so the Board approves it the right time. We also help get you approved quickly. read more

If you’ve thought about a career as an electrician, you need to be properly certified and licensed in the state of Florida. The Electrical Contractors Licensing Board will issue you your license. In the field of electrical contractor work, there are four specialties: electrical contractor, alarm contractor I (fire alarms), alarm contractor II (no fire alarms), and specialty: residential, lighting, utility line, etc.

You can pursue one or more of these specialty licenses.

If you want to pursue an electrical license, you need to do at least one of the following:

• Be a manager in this field for at least three years (must occur in the last six years).
• Be a supervisor in this field for at least four years (must occur in the last eight years).
• Have at least six years of education/training and/or experience in the electrical field (must occur in the last 12 years).

Each different electrical specialty also has their specific requirements that you need to follow. Every license is different. You may need to take an exam (or a few) or complete a number of courses.

When it comes to submitting your license application, there are many reasons you can be rejected. You could’ve failed your test. You could’ve missed a fee. You could’ve not had enough experience. You could’ve not had enough education. You could have poor credit. You could have a criminal background. Whatever the reason, the Board can reject you and you may have to apply again (if possible). read more

It’s officially the new year, which means from now until May 1^st you need to file an annual report for your business. If you do not file an annual report by May 1^st, you will need to pay a $400 late fee as a penalty. The late fee will keep your business from being dissolved.

During this time of year, there are a lot of scams that go around regarding the annual report filings. These scams do not come from the Florida Secretary of State and they’re trying to get additional money from you. One such scam may ask you for your annual minutes, which is not something that needs to be filed with the Department of State in Florida or any state. This scam will solicit a $125 fee.

The annual report is required and must be filed. By filing your annual report, your business will keep its active status. If the state hasn’t received anything from you by September, your company will be dissolved or revoked.

Before the May 1^st deadline, the fee to file an annual report for a corporation is $150 and $138.75 for a limited liability company. After May 1^st, the fee for a corporation will cost $550 and a limited liability company will cost $538.75. As you can see, $400 was added to each amount. read more

In 2014, the state of Florida announced a new specialty license available for demolition contractors called “certified building demolition specialty contractor.”

This license became available, so people and businesses can demolish any residential or commercial structure under four stories. If a four-story or taller structure is in the project, the license holder must hold a valid certified general contractor license. For a more technical definition, “this license has been added so that individuals and businesses who work solely with the execution of contracts requiring the experience, financial means, knowledge, and skill to demolish, if not prohibited by law, steel tanks 50 feet or less in height; towers 50 feet or less in height; other structures 50 feet or less in height, other than buildings or residences over three stories tall; and buildings or residences three stories or less in height. Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to restrict or limit in any manner the scope of work authorized by law of other contractor classifications.” read more

You’ve probably heard of the term, “handyman,” many times in your life. In short, it’s a person who can do a lot of odd jobs. However, is this person certified to do these jobs? Does he or she need a license to do this kind of work?

Well, there isn’t a contractor license out there that allows you to do it all. You can’t get a license to fix a leaky faucet, install drywall, and repair a roof – it just doesn’t exist! All these jobs fall under individual specialty licenses. To fix a roof, you need a roofing license. To fix a leak in a pipe, you need a plumbing license. To rewire a room, you need an electrical license. Etc. etc.

In Collier County, Florida, there is a “handyman” license, but it is called a maintenance license. Every county allows a person with maintenance license to do different things. You may be surprised to find out the scope of this license isn’t very big. A maintenance license isn’t legally allowed to do as much as you’d think a “handyman” can do. With a maintenance license in Collier County, you can: read more