Things To Do In SW Florida

Shopping around for a contractor? We know the process can be stressful – there’s a lot to research and think about. You want to hire a quality worker who is licensed, insured, and honest. After you’ve narrowed your search down, you want to start discussing with these contractors the scope of your project and the potential costs.  When dealing with money, there’s a few different terms used: bid, quote, estimate, and proposal. Do you know the difference? If not, we’re here to help.

We’re a Florida contractor licensing company and we help thousands of people get their contractor licenses, so we know this business well. For this article, we wanted to explain these words to you, so if a contractor says them, you’ll know exactly what he is referring to.

Bid – A bid is something submitted to a general contractor by a subcontractor to do part of a project. Abid also refers to a document that offers to do a job at a certain price in a certain time frame.

Quote – A quote is a number the contractor will give you based on numbers from a supplier regarding materials. A quote is usually only good for about a month. After a month, the cost of supplies will change as prices for materials fluctuate due to supply and demand. read more

You’re remodeling your home? Great! Get ready for a beautiful new space. The downside? You will have to live among the construction for a while. Construction sites, even in your own home, can be loud, messy, and dangerous. Although it’s probably only a section of your home being worked on, you want to make sure you keep yourself, your family, pets, and guests safe from the work area.

As a Florida contracting licensing company, we wanted to share with you some safety tips of how to live alongside a home renovation. Being in your home, we know its tough to completely avoid the area, especially if it’s in between other rooms and living spaces.

• Block off the area with tape/tables/boards/etc. to keep people out of the room/area.
• Let your contractor know how many children/pets live in the home, so he knows to keep an eye out for them in case any of them try to wander into the site out of curiosity.
• Have a conversation with your children about the dangers of going into the construction space.
• Schedule time out of the house when the contractor is working with larger equipment, or when big deliveries are expected.
• Don’t leave your children home alone with the contractor. You always need to watch your kids.
• Ask the contractor if any poisonous or hazardous chemicals will be temporarily exposed in the air. If so, schedule to be out of the house at that time.
• Try to have the contractor and his crew enter the house a different way than you and your family.
• Keep your pets in closed other rooms so they won’t distract or get in the way of the contractor.
• At the end of the day, ask your contractor to put hazardous and dangerous materials and tools out of reach.
• Have the contractor secure the work area before he leaves for the day.
• Hand a tarp in the doorway between the work space and the rest of the room to block air pollutants.
• Ask the contractor to do some work outside if possible.
• Eliminate any uncovered rodent droppings found in the construction, so they will not spread sickness and disease.

Remember these precautions when getting your home remodeled. It can be a little frustrating having to live a little differently for a bit, but the outcome of your new renovated home is worth it.

Want to be a contractor? In the state of Florida, you’ll need your contractor’s license, and we can help you get it! We are a Florida contractor licensing company who has helped contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028. read more

In every industry, there are good workers and there are bad workers; there are honest people and there are liars. Unfortunately, the contracting world is not immune to bad people. When looking to hire a contractor for a project, it’s in your best interest to do your homework and hire a quality contractor – your home, project, or business is in their hands! Bad contractors make good contractors look bad and have made a lot of people distrust contractors.

You don’t want to be scammed by a bad contractor. As a Florida contractor licensing company, we’ve heard it all, so we wanted to share with you some things and tips to keep in mind for you to spot a bad contractor before you hire them.

• If you are approached by a contractor for a job, there is a good chance this person doesn’t have good intentions. Don’t entertain contractors who home to your home unannounced.
• Do research on contractors in your area. Look for reviews online and call the Better Business Bureau. Call the Department of Business & Regulation in your state and make sure the contractor you’re interested in has a license and carries insurance.
• Ask a question (could be easy or hard) that you already know the answer to (and that the contractor should know too). If the contractor doesn’t know the answer, this is a good sign you should not hire them.
• If a contractor cannot or will not give you references, don’t hire them.
• If your contractor will not give you a written contract, don’t work with them.
• If you’re doing a big job and your contractor refuses to get a permit, he likely isn’t licensed. Stop working with him immediately.
• A quality contractor will set you up with a payment plan and never in cash.

If any of these strange situations or red flags pop up when dealing with a contractor, kindly end your relationship with them and move onto a more reputable contractor. You don’t want to be scammed out of money with a half-finished home.

Looking to get your contractor’s license? Join the thousands of reputable contractors and work in this rewarding industry. We are a Florida contractor licensing company who help contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028. read more

Looking to build a new home? Renovate your kitchen? Put on an addition? You’ll need to hire a general contractor. Although some thing you can renovate yourself, it’s much easier to hire a contractor who can get permits and knows exactly how to construct a home or room.

We suggest when looking for a contractor that you get a quote from at least three different contractors. You want to see the price ranges and get an idea of their skills. You also want to see if they communicate well and if you click with them.

As a Florida contractor licensing company, we wanted to share some things you should think about while hiring a contractor to build or work on your home.

• Is the contractor licensed? Unlicensed contractor activity is illegal in Florida.
• Make sure your contractor carries liability insurance and worker’s compensation. Accidents happen.
• Ask for references.
• Look at their portfolio.
• Get an estimate and know the scope of work.
• Beware of low bids.
• Can you work with this contractor?
• Do they work alone or with a team?
• How long will this project last?
• Is he/she easy to understand?
• Does he/she communicate well?
• Ask for an itemized bid. You want to see the breakdown of everything from the labor to the materials.
• Ask for a payment schedule that goes along with the project schedule.

These are just a few things to think about when hiring a contractor. You want to hire someone who is trustworthy, experienced, reliable, skilled, and easy to communicate with.

If you know someone who want’s to be a contractor or if you do, we can help make that happen. We are a Florida contractor licensing company who help contractors all over the country get their licenses. To get your Florida contractor’s license or other state license, click our Florida contractor’s license page or call us at 239-777-1028. read more

If you’re thinking about remodeling your home, you most likely want to hire a contractor. Although many projects around the home can be easy enough to do on your own (carpet installation), bigger projects (building an addition) should be left to professional, licensed contractors.

When looking for a contractor, we suggest looking at 3 or 4 for you to compare. When you meet with the contractor, you will have a consultation with them. The consultation is usually free. During this consult, the contractor will look at the room/space you want to remodel or build. The contractor will listen to your wants and needs and what you envision, as well as what the space will be used for. The contractor will want to know what you’re looking for including: more space, a more modern look, more storage, better layout, better cabinetry, better room flow, etc.

A lot of your ideas may clash or may not be within your budget. The contractor will let you know all that needs to be done to get to your goals. The contractor and his team can help you with all the ideas, including design, to help you map out your ideal space. read more