Hi, I want to build a home in LA for a client but I want to bring someone from another state, who I am very acquainted with to build a home.
Is there no alternative in LA other than finding a GC or making the owner an Owner-Builder? I just want to work with this guy who has built many homes before. He can’t just apply for home improvement license or something like that for new construction?
Thank you
Richard Balkins
Nov 1, 22 12:43 am
Have you done construction before? If not, simple answer is, yes. Not necessarily by law but mainly for not having the construction experience to successfully do the project without it being loaded trouble.
State of California, has the CSLB for construction contracting licensing. Here is an important place to start at from the state level: https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consum...
You should check with either the County of Los Angeles or City of Los Angeles depending on which authority holds jurisdiction for any ordinance or regulatory rule that says a California state licensed contractor is required for permits. I don't think there is a requirement for a property owner to be licensed as a contractor or to contract a contractor to build their own home. I haven't lived in los angeles area for over 25 years.
Legally, I don't think you need a GC or be licensed as a contractor to build your own home. However, there is a point where you will need to be licensed as a contractor to build homes. The link above refers to that. However, having said that, if you do not have construction experience, you will need an experienced licensed contractor to do the work because you can't just download into your brain the knowledge and experience of the construction trades like Neo from Matrix movies. Common sense.... ok.
proto
Nov 1, 22 3:47 pm
If it's at all like taking the license exam for architects, I'm guessing the GC license has a lot of CA specifics that your out-of-state GC will really need to study intensely for. But that might be your first option is just get the person licensed to do work.
Alternate pathway: maybe have your trusted builder partner with a local so that local jurisdictional stuff is handled by someone with the experience to see it coming and plan for it.
Option 2 is likely the better path...building in SoCal is an eye opener for those who have built elsewhere prior...
Richard Balkins
Nov 1, 22 8:22 pm
I concur. This project, since it isn't you building the home for yourself but for a client, I recommend what proto and atelier (said below) said here. This is a project where you should have a contractor licensed in California. If the hurdles are more trouble than it's worth, the person you like to recommend for working on the project could work as a contracted employee of a local contractor, (not as an independent contractor) for the duration of the project if it is the crafts skills needed. However, this already looks like a big bag of trouble for all parties.
atelier nobody
Nov 1, 22 5:51 pm
I'm not sure why this is even a question - of course a California Contractor's license is required to take a contract for construction in California. Are there actually States where this isn't the case‽
Also, having the Owner pull the permit as Owner/Builder won't help unless the Owner hires your friend as a statutory employee (i.e. pays an wage or salary, not a contract sum, withholds taxes, and pays for workers' comp insurance, among other things) - otherwise your buddy doing the work would still be contracting without a license. Owner/Builder means you actually do the work yourself or with statutory employees - it is not a permit to hire unlicensed subs.
x-jla
Nov 2, 22 10:32 am
Believe it or not, yes some states only require a contractors licenses for MEP. If I remember correctly about a dozen states don’t license GC’s. I’m almost all states you can build your own house. If this is a house that you are flipping or renting out then you need a GC, even if you own it. That’s the typical way it works in most states. And that’s correct that even if the owner is self building they still need to hire licensed subs or physically do the work themselves or they would be aiding and abetting unlicensed practice, which is a criminal offense in my state and most others.
x-jla
Nov 2, 22 10:38 am
Problem with not hiring a GC is that most laymen have no idea how much coordination is involved. It’s not easy. I do landscape construction which is easier, but still not easy at all. On a typical 500k landscape project with a pool, fireplace, custom features, etc, it’s not uncommon to deal with 5-10 different subs.
Chad Miller
Nov 2, 22 10:41 am
Just and FYI:
Colorado, Illinois,Kentucky Main, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming do not provide / require state licensure for GC's. However each country in the above states provides and requires a GC license provided by them to be allowed to build.
proto
Nov 2, 22 4:17 pm
oof, each county? ...that's a lot of certifications to keep up...
Chad Miller
Nov 2, 22 4:23 pm
Yup. Often if you have one for a county they are good for all counties. The one exception I know of is NY. You'll need a specific license to be GC in NYC.
Richard Balkins
Nov 2, 22 5:49 pm
In many states that has a contractor licensing requirement (at state-wide level), a good significant percentage of them would require you to have a license by the contractor licensing board if you intend to build a home or remodel one with intent to sell. In my state (Oregon), would require at the very least, a "Developer" license (two of the licenses issued by the Construction Contractor Board (CCB) - "residential developer" and "commercial developer").
California has a similar rule, in principle.
Wood Guy
Nov 15, 22 12:27 pm
Chad, Maine (with an "e") has no contractor licensing requirements, by state, county (no "r") or town/city, other than MEP. I don't believe Vermont or New Hampshire do either. Not just no requirements, but GC licensing is not offered at all.
atelier nobody
Nov 15, 22 1:37 pm
Wood Guy - Wow, not even for major commercial construction‽
Wilma Buttfit
Nov 8, 22 8:28 am
Have a local GC for pulling the permit and have your buddy be construction manager and builder.
atelier nobody
Nov 14, 22 9:24 pm
Still counts as contracting without a license under California law.
Hi, I want to build a home in LA for a client but I want to bring someone from another state, who I am very acquainted with to build a home.
Is there no alternative in LA other than finding a GC or making the owner an Owner-Builder? I just want to work with this guy who has built many homes before. He can’t just apply for home improvement license or something like that for new construction?
Thank you
Have you done construction before? If not, simple answer is, yes. Not necessarily by law but mainly for not having the construction experience to successfully do the project without it being loaded trouble.
State of California, has the CSLB for construction contracting licensing. Here is an important place to start at from the state level: https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consum...
You should check with either the County of Los Angeles or City of Los Angeles depending on which authority holds jurisdiction for any ordinance or regulatory rule that says a California state licensed contractor is required for permits. I don't think there is a requirement for a property owner to be licensed as a contractor or to contract a contractor to build their own home. I haven't lived in los angeles area for over 25 years.
Legally, I don't think you need a GC or be licensed as a contractor to build your own home. However, there is a point where you will need to be licensed as a contractor to build homes. The link above refers to that. However, having said that, if you do not have construction experience, you will need an experienced licensed contractor to do the work because you can't just download into your brain the knowledge and experience of the construction trades like Neo from Matrix movies. Common sense.... ok.
If it's at all like taking the license exam for architects, I'm guessing the GC license has a lot of CA specifics that your out-of-state GC will really need to study intensely for. But that might be your first option is just get the person licensed to do work.
Alternate pathway: maybe have your trusted builder partner with a local so that local jurisdictional stuff is handled by someone with the experience to see it coming and plan for it.
Option 2 is likely the better path...building in SoCal is an eye opener for those who have built elsewhere prior...
I concur. This project, since it isn't you building the home for yourself but for a client, I recommend what proto and atelier (said below) said here. This is a project where you should have a contractor licensed in California. If the hurdles are more trouble than it's worth, the person you like to recommend for working on the project could work as a contracted employee of a local contractor, (not as an independent contractor) for the duration of the project if it is the crafts skills needed. However, this already looks like a big bag of trouble for all parties.
I'm not sure why this is even a question - of course a California Contractor's license is required to take a contract for construction in California. Are there actually States where this isn't the case‽
Also, having the Owner pull the permit as Owner/Builder won't help unless the Owner hires your friend as a statutory employee (i.e. pays an wage or salary, not a contract sum, withholds taxes, and pays for workers' comp insurance, among other things) - otherwise your buddy doing the work would still be contracting without a license. Owner/Builder means you actually do the work yourself or with statutory employees - it is not a permit to hire unlicensed subs.
Believe it or not, yes some states only require a contractors licenses for MEP. If I remember correctly about a dozen states don’t license GC’s. I’m almost all states you can build your own house. If this is a house that you are flipping or renting out then you need a GC, even if you own it. That’s the typical way it works in most states. And that’s correct that even if the owner is self building they still need to hire licensed subs or physically do the work themselves or they would be aiding and abetting unlicensed practice, which is a criminal offense in my state and most others.
Problem with not hiring a GC is that most laymen have no idea how much coordination is involved. It’s not easy. I do landscape construction which is easier, but still not easy at all. On a typical 500k landscape project with a pool, fireplace, custom features, etc, it’s not uncommon to deal with 5-10 different subs.
Just and FYI:
Colorado, Illinois,Kentucky Main, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming do not provide / require state licensure for GC's. However each country in the above states provides and requires a GC license provided by them to be allowed to build.
oof, each county? ...that's a lot of certifications to keep up...
Yup. Often if you have one for a county they are good for all counties. The one exception I know of is NY. You'll need a specific license to be GC in NYC.
In many states that has a contractor licensing requirement (at state-wide level), a good significant percentage of them would require you to have a license by the contractor licensing board if you intend to build a home or remodel one with intent to sell. In my state (Oregon), would require at the very least, a "Developer" license (two of the licenses issued by the Construction Contractor Board (CCB) - "residential developer" and "commercial developer").
California has a similar rule, in principle.
Chad, Maine (with an "e") has no contractor licensing requirements, by state, county (no "r") or town/city, other than MEP. I don't believe Vermont or New Hampshire do either. Not just no requirements, but GC licensing is not offered at all.
Wood Guy - Wow, not even for major commercial construction‽
Have a local GC for pulling the permit and have your buddy be construction manager and builder.
Still counts as contracting without a license under California law.