ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Business Related Discussion The Scandalous California Contractors Board

Hey mine starts with a "7" too.... Its the "8's" you need to worry about ~ but then again I worked for a guy with "5" who was the worst businessman I've ever met, and equally a hack when it came to the work he did. Proving you cant teach old dogs new tricks if they were never capable of learning one in the first place.

RR - Be pro-active in protecting your income. I would suggest you contact your local DBI and seek to make it mandatory for licensing via the CSLB in order to get a biz lic, or pull permits. Or just have fun by sueing them for unfair business practices, by allowing unlicensed to operate. Then call 1-800-rat-u-out for any unlicensed activity you see. Remember, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" If the CSLB is who enforces this stuff, (nobody else does) then make the wheels squeak and get greased. Whining here aint helping much. And a little consumer education goes a long way, and the CSLB is willing to help you do just that - scare the death out of consumers with some horror stories of hack work and staple one of these to each proposal. http://www.cslb.ca.gov/forms/wyskpamphlet.pdf

When I first started out, I reported lots of unlicensed activity, and absolutely nothing ever came of it. The CSLB collects license fees, enforcement is nearly non existent. I've been migrating out of residential work and into commercial, it's just too hard to make a buck in residential...

SWIFT has been 'round my way. A guy I know was called to bid on a sting op. He's not sure how they got his info - but suspects that someone asked for a card one day, and later called him to bid a remodel.

Occasionaly they put out notices to participate if you have a property to pose as a real job.

Truthfully I would love a job in enforcement - wouldn't you?

Say it isn't so !

Because of recent events, it's been more difficult getting workers at low prices.

Did someone have a potty- mouth?

No, just off topic content.

Roger

Great topic.I know how you feel RR.I live here in NE PA.19yrs.We have no state license.It is so cut throat here I am having the same problem here.I can not remember the last service change I did.I am lucky if I get $1800 for a 200amp mast service.One EC here in PA charged only $600 to add a 200amp disc,and 75 feet of 200amp SER to the panel box.My price would have been alot more then that.Most of these ECs here are giving it away.

I gave a bid to a HO yesterday on a addition.Change the panel,move the service with dis to new loction(50feet)35 openings,3 ceiling fans,8 Hi hats,5 smokes,4 Fixture outs,2 Keylees,3 240 volt T Stats,4 2kw heaters,1 2.5kw heater,and 5 circuits.Gave price of just under 7K.Still waitimg for the call.

Heres the funny part.I gave the HO down the steet a price on a big addition they where doing.My price was 23K.Found out the other guy was 8K.The materal alone was 5K.