This passage is in the CSLB description for the General B License:
However, a general building contractor shall not take a prime contract for any project involving trades other than framing or carpentry unless the prime contract requires at least two unrelated building trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry,
Does anyone know what they are getting at in this passage? I guess what I am trying to find out what exactly a General B license entitles you, if anything at all, other than hiring subs for a project and doing the carpentry and framing.
Replies
A general contractor has to have framing and carpentry as a "specialty" so that he can pass the requirements as a GC.
What they aslo mean is that just because you are a GC, it does not mean the you can be an electrician, or a HVAC guy. It means that you will sub out that work.
You can do any work that you qualify(by the state, not your own opinion of your qualifications) for on a specialty license.
Another way to put it is any specialty work you are qualified to do, you would be considered the prime contractor with a , say a homeowner. Any work you are not qualified to do, you would be the general contractor to the homeowner. Your subs would be the qualified subcontrator for those trades
does that make sense? I know it does in my head, not sure about anyone elses.
Edited 11/22/2009 12:46 am by migraine
Edited 11/22/2009 12:47 am by migraine
As a GC (B) I can't do a job which is only plumbing. Or only electrical. Or only x, y, or z, (unless x,y, and z are carpentry). However, I can personally do a remodel which involves many different trades, *as long as more than one is involved*.
So, If someone asks me to re-plumb an old, corroded galvy hot water line, i've got to make sure to destroy some drywall and tile on the way...
k
This is what I thought was the case. Migraine has posted a "competing" view, unless I am mistaken. He is saying that a GC can never do anything other than carpentry/framing, and must sub-out all the other trades, unless he has additional specialty licenses to do a specific trade: C-10 for example for electrical work.I would love to find out who is right here.
A gc can do almost all of the other trades, as long as multiple trades are involved. Of that, I'm certain. I'm not a clipboard and cellphone contractor, I'm the toolbelt kind.
There are some exceptions, and they can vary by municipality. For instance, I'm allowed to personally run a new sewer line (as part of a multi-trade job) but in my locale, the city will only allow a licensed plumber to tie into to the city line.
Still, I can certainly do 99% of a sewer, as long as there's oh, a bit of sidewalk replacement, and maybe some landscaping involved too.On the flipside, specifically licensed trades (like plumbers) can only do other trades' work in a poorly defined "minor" way, in order to complete their own job. So a plumber can replace a joist he had to destroy, but he can't overall frame a floor on that job, even if he's already there doing plumbing.
Conversely,if I'm running joists and doing foundation work, I can legally do the plumbing.
k
Edited 11/22/2009 11:41 am by KFC
Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it.
No problemo.
I have never heard of anyone getting in trouble with the licensing board for any of this, in any case. They're usually only setting stings for contracting without a license- beyond that I think you'd have to really pizz off a tradesman for it to ever come up.
k
Go to contractor talk forum. There is a section on licensing. There is a man that helps out that used to work for the licensing board. Probably get the answer and more!
Dave