Contractors license suspended; will this cause us problems?

[KristianS]

Hi guys,

Long story short; wife and I wants to do some projects at home. - projects that I'm not comfortable doing myself or have the time for.

1) Demolition of a non bearing wall between kitchen and living room
2) Demolition and rebuild of small bathroom.

I've reached out to a few local guys and we got a offer last night from a really nice local contractor that we feel can help us out as we needed.

BUT; when we were about to sum everything up he did tell us that his license was suspended due to two incidents last year. I have copied in the violations below for anyone that wishes to review them for me.

He was super honest about what happened and also told us that he appealed the decisions and they are pending.

My gut feeling is telling me to stay away and find someone else.

License is under suspension for the following reasons:
License suspended for failure to comply with a bond payout.

Citation # 2 2014 003016
Date 05/28/2015
Status PENDING - APPEALED
Violations

CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7107
DESCRIPTION Abandonment without legal excuse of any construction project
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7109.A
DESCRIPTION Departed from trade standards
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7159.C3BII
DESCRIPTION Fail to give name & addr for mailing the notice of cancel
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7159.DD1
DESCRIPTION No written change orders


Citation # 2 2014 001154
Date 08/04/2014
Status PENDING - APPEALED
Violations

CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7109.A
DESCRIPTION Departed from trade standards
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7110
DESCRIPTION Violated building law - no permit
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7113
DESCRIPTION Exceeded contract amount
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7117.5C
DESCRIPTION Contracted with expired license
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7159.C5
DESCRIPTION Change order not incorporated in the contract
CODE Business & Professions Code
VIOLATION 7159.E6A
DESCRIPTION Did not provide a 3 day right to cancel notice

 

[readhead]

Look for someone else. He already has been caught contracting without a license. He probably gave them the same story he is giving you. His bond my not be in place anymore. There are lots of contractors and no reason to deal with this guy.

 

[Professur]

A contractor with a suspended license is a handyman. Handymen charge about half what a contractor does, and have no official standing in the construction industry. Treat him as such. Would you have offered the job to a handyman in the first place?

 

[Krash Kadillak]

RUN, don't walk, away.......

Look up the TV show, 'Catch a Contractor'.......

 

[KristianS]

Look for someone else. He already has been caught contracting without a license. He probably gave them the same story he is giving you. His bond my not be in place anymore. There are lots of contractors and no reason to deal with this guy.

Thanks. We are trying to look for new quotes.

A contractor with a suspended license is a handyman. Handymen charge about half what a contractor does, and have no official standing in the construction industry. Treat him as such. Would you have offered the job to a handyman in the first place?

Thank you. This is our first home and first time dealing with contractors so we dont really what to expect.

 

[Majordisorder]

Ask around and seek out someone with a good reputation. Are there any old people in your neighborhood? They are useful sometimes and have seen contractors come and go.

 

[bczygan]

I would ask him for the contact info for the customers involved in the job where the violations occurred.

I would be curious to hear their sides of the stories.

Wonder if he would give you that.

Bill

 

[KristianS]

I called on a few other local guys and have 2 come out to give estimates. I will let you know how that turns out.

 

[upndown]

So called contractors are a dime a dozen. Honest ones are sometimes hard to find! Ask lots of questions and get referrals. Make sure to follow up on referrals.

I'd stay away from him! Don't become his third citation.

 

[KristianS]

I'd stay away from him! Don't become his third citation.

Called my dad this morning and that was exactly what he told me when asking him for advice.

thank you!

 

[Hpozzuoli]

He appealed both which is a good sign, but one is for abandonment and the other is for ****** work. Everyone deserves a chance, but I don't think this is one of those times. I am a contractor and have seen some top notch guys walk off a job because of bad clients. The ****** work citation is the red flag for me.

 

[ddawg16]

He appealed both which is a good sign, but one is for abandonment and the other is for ****** work. Everyone deserves a chance, but I don't think this is one of those times. I am a contractor and have seen some top notch guys walk off a job because of bad clients. The ****** work citation is the red flag for me.

^^ I agree ^^

That second complaint is a big red flag.

You don't want to be the source of the 3rd complaint.

 

[Cyberbear]

Since you don't wish to do the work yourself and contractors are flaky by nature, skip this guy and look for another. The pain of a bad job experience remains long after the memory of money saved has faded.

 

[southalabama]

Thank him for his honesty but pass

If he's not a licensed contractor he's just a handyman and his rates should reflect the new status. Is it worth the gamble ? Your call. I wouldn't.

 

[MoonRise]

He has Strike #1 and Strike #2 already, plus your gut feel is telling you "Nope".

Pass and find someone else.

(he does sort-of get some credit for telling you about the violations. But then he loses that + because if his license is suspended and he is still attempting to work as a contractor, then he is working without a license. Which is one of the violations he was cited for previously. As well as doing work without a building permit, cost overrun that was not 'authorized' or incorporated into the contract, without a written change order, etc.)

Find someone else.

 

[wssix99]

On top of what was said above, this guy has a track record (that he was caught for) of overcharging and running away from jobs. Even if his license wasn't suspended - you should still run away from him!

 

[NUTTSGT]

On top of what was said above, this guy has a track record (that he was caught for) of overcharging and running away from jobs. Even if his license wasn't suspended - you should still run away from him!

That'a what scares me the most, what he wasn't caught for.

 

[Nick Danger]

If your gut says that someone is bad news, listen to your gut. You're the descendant of millions of years of people who got a bad gut feeling about what they saw, stayed away from the bushes, and didn't get eaten by a lion.

In this case, the guy sounds reasonable on the surface and you want to trust him, but he's giving unconscious cues that your hindbrain is perceiving as dangerous. Always trust your hindbrain.

 

[jvitez]

If your gut says that someone is bad news, listen to your gut.

+1 x 1000!

I didn't listen to my gut when dealing with a landscape contractor. Pressure from the Mrs to get the landscaping done let my left brain talk my right brain into going with a guy who cost us so much money I'm embarrassed to even say. Our landscaping is still terrible several years later because of this lying b$-turd.

If your gut tells you something is wrong, listen! If you're in the midst of a project and things are feeling wrong, stop the project! But the best is to listen to your gut BEFORE you start dealing with anyone who makes you feel unsettled.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

I don't see many positive responses for using this "contractor". Better pay attention.......

 

[PT Doc]

Pass,