estimates? I've got a sweet scenario for you. In Calif. (due to the extreme screwing homeowners got from contractors after the Berkeley Hills fire a few years ago)there is now a Home Improvement Contractor certificate (HIC) required (through the state contractor board) for EVERY contractor doing ANY dwelling work. This mandates (for work $500 and over [this includes materials]) the contract must be in writing, there are about 5-6 pages of disclosures required to be explained to the customer and signed (this can take well over 2 hrs.). The contract must include a FULL detailed description of the work, including diagrams, part numbers, color codes (get my drift?...makes it real easy for the next contractor to save a lot of time by using all your leg-work)...THEN, the homeowner has to be given 3 days opportunity to change his mind BEFORE you can start any work! This now requires a minimum of 3 trips out to the residence (1 to inspect, 2nd to delivery quote and disclosures, and third trip before work begins)....free estimates??? not any more! This law has just added a minimum of 4 hrs. labor for a simple job....of course this only applies to those contractors who comply with the law.....example: Guy calls up and says "I just bought a new $500 Casa Blanca ceiling fan...I already have the fan rated box in the ceiling from a previous installation....how much will you charge me?"...Bingo! HIC contract required.....oh...did I mention - part of the disclosures include information on how best to find another contractor to do the work!
