Not All Licensed Contractors Are Created Equal

If your like most people when you need an appliance serviced or some other repair or maintenance work done.  You pick up the phone and call a few places to get prices ask if they are licensed then select one to do the work.  The person who comes to do the work may come alone or with another person.  Depending upon the type of work being done the repair person or people will be independent contractors or employees of the company.  It's common among appliance repair industry for the person to be an independent contractor or subcontractor.  These guys typically have to purchase the parts they carry on the truck.  Other in home service companies like landscapers; are employees of the company that you called.  We assume the person or people doing the work are licensed contractor but, that isn't so.

In the case of the appliance repair person they are required to have a valid contractors license.  Landscape companies are a different story.  An individual functioning as a gardener doing; lawn, garden, tree and shrub maintenance does not have to have a license.  To be exempt from needing a license the individual who is functioning as a gardener cannot hire as an employee or independent contractor to help.  Once the gardener hires an employee or independent contractor a contractors license becomes required.  An employee may work without holding a licenses himself if he is supervised on the job site by a person listed on the license or the license holder. 

If the person who holds the license is under contract subcontracts or recommends that a portion of the contract be subcontracted out to another company.  The subcontracting company or individual must be licensed. 

Your project is limited by the license the contractor holds.  Some licenses allow one to perform a variety of different jobs and others are very limiting in what work the contractor can perform.  The less limiting the license the more experience the contractor has and the higher the hourly rate charged.  Below is an example of the types of jobs a landscape and irrigation contractor can perform depending upon the license they hold.  Don't for get anyone doing work for an association, corporation, incorporation, or non-profit must have a commercial license.  Working for an HOA is not residential work it is commercial.

 A-21 LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Treat, condition, prepare, and install topsoil. Plant all decorative vegetation. Excavate, trench, bore, backfill and grade as necessary for installation of landscaping and irrigation systems. Landscaping includes installation of non-loadbearing slabs, walkways and areas using concrete, brick, stone, or gravel; wooden decks; decorative garden walls, fences and screens up to 6 feet in height; retaining walls up to 3 feet in height; and all other materials and equipment common to the industry.

Excluded are cast-in-place or tilt concrete; load bearing walls for structures; and perimeter fencing along property lines or boundaries.

Install, repair, and maintain irrigation systems to distribute water for the purpose of irrigation, dust and soil erosion control using equipment, materials, and fittings common to the industry. This includes electrical control panels and apparatus which are an integral part of the irrigation system.

Connections to potable water lines, installation of backflow prevention devices, installation of hose bibs and installation of service lines from source of supply are permitted only when they are an integral part of the irrigation system.

Installation of electric wiring and related fixtures of 110 volts or less for landscaping projects is included. All electrical work is limited to exterior use and only that work necessary to complete a landscaping project.

If necessary, a new circuit may be added to the existing service panel or sub-panel. Excluded is the installation of a new service panel or sub-panel.

C-21 LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Preparation and alteration of land for horticulture and arboriculture. Installation of irrigation systems and controls. Carpentry is limited to decorative fences and screens, planter boxes, and plant tubs common to the industry. Excluded are retaining walls over 3 feet, decorative walls or fences over 6 feet, perimeter walls, fences, and load bearing slabs and walkways. If necessary, a new circuit may be added to the existing service panel or sub-panel. Excluded is the installation of a new service panel or sub-panel. This scope includes all C-21R subclassifications.


C-21R LANDSCAPING
C-21R IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

L-26 LANDSCAPING

Treat, condition, prepare, and install topsoil. Plant all decorative vegetation. Excavate, trench, backfill, and grade as necessary for installation of landscaping.

Installation of wood decks, non-loadbearing slabs, walkways, and areas using concrete, brick, stone, or gravel; and all other materials and equipment common to the industry.

Excluded are concrete slabs exceeding 400 square feet, concrete walkways exceeding 200 square feet, and masonry work over 18 inches in height.

Installation of electric wiring and related fixtures of 110 volts or less for landscaping projects is included. All electrical work is limited to exterior use, and only that work necessary to complete landscaping projects.

If necessary, a new circuit may be added to the existing service panel or sub-panel. Excluded is the installation of a new service panel or sub-panel.

The requirements to obtain the A-21 Engineering Landscaping and Irrigation License is 4 years experience, business management exam plus the trade exam.


The C-21 Specialty Residential Landscaping and Irrigation License 3 years experience, business management exam, and trade exam. To obtain the C-21R Landscaping License requires 2 years experience and business management exam only. Or to obtain the C-21R Irrigation License 2 years experience, business management exam, and trade exam are required.

The L-26 Specialty Commercial Landscaping License requires 2 years experience and business management test only.

There is also a K-26 Dual Commercial and Residential license for Landscaping which requires 2 years experience and business management test. A K-44 Dual Irrigation license requiring 3 years experience, business management test, and trade test. And K-21 Dual Landscaping and Irrigation license requiring 4 years experience, business management test and trade test.

As you can see it is no cake walk to get your license to be a contractor for residential or commercial.  However, these contractors are limited by the license they hold as well as the work they are exposed to everyday. 

If your having problems and keep getting the same solutions from your contractors.  It could be because they don't know any other solution or your asking the wrong person.  If your not getting your answers from the license holder or someone within the company who has a license.  Your not getting information from a qualified professional.  Which means you have hired someone who isn't experienced or skilled in the right area.  Not all contractors are created equal that is obvious from the license they hold.