Sub Contractor Insurance Requirements
What to Look for When Hiring Building Contractors
With the current housing market there are more available building contractors for you to seek bids from. This always happens when the market slows down a bit. For the contractors it is not a good thing but for the consumer looking to have a new home built it is a great opportunity to get a good deal. However there are some things to keep in mind when you are looking for a building contractor for your new home and here we will cover a few of them.
First off when you are beginning your search make sure that you get at least three bids on your project. When you do this you need to make sure that contractors get the same information from you. For example if you want solid cherry cabinets then make sure that you tell all three contractors that this is a must for you and should be figured into your pricing. When you tell all three contractors the same information when you compare their bids you will be comparing apples for apples.
After you have received your bids carefully look them over. Make sure that each proposal includes everything you have specified. Many times you will see that builders include allowances for items. Make sure that the allowance adequately covers the item. For example if you are building a 2000 square foot home and you have picked tile throughout the house and you see a $500 allowance for it to be completed this should cause you some concern.
Another important aspect when trying to choose a home builder is to check them out thoroughly. The first thing you want to make sure of is that they are licensed and properly insured in your state. You will need to make a few phone calls but it can save you a lot of headaches down the road. Also ask the builder that you ultimately choose to provide you with an insurance certificate. This is a paper sent by the insurance company stating that their insurance policy is current. When you request an insurance certificate you will automatically be notified if their insurance policy is cancelled or any changes are made to it.
Before you sign a contract ask the contractor how they work with their subcontractors. Do they bid out the jobs, do they have insurance and licensing information on them, how do they pay them? One thing you should require from your contractor is release of lien from all the sub contractors that will be on your job site. This will save you from a possible fiasco later as you sometimes here about building contractors that get paid from you or your lending institution and then fail to pay their subcontractors. Then what happens is the subcontractors liens your home for the amount they are owed and you could end up paying twice for services.
Picking the right contractor to build your home is very important. You want to make sure that things go smoothly so everyone is happy in the end. Building contractors are less busy right now so it is a consumer’s market so do your homework and you will end up with a good deal.
About the Author
Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on a building contractor and specialist building contractors at http://www.affinitybuilder.com
Looking for insurance requirements for sub-contractor on hurricane debris clean-up, FEMA funded.?
I have been told, that a sub-contractor has to have proof of “bond” ? insurance when doing debri clearing. Would this be a FEMA requirement or a requirement of the main contractor? My husband was killed in Fla., on a land-fill site. He was unloading debri when the truck fell over on him. If anyone out there has either done this type of work or is a sub-contractor who has done this kind of work, I could really use help me with this question. Individual he worked for is being of no help as yet.
OK, you don’t have “proof of bond”, you have a “performance bond”. Fema is going to require the GC to have a bond, naming THEM as obligee, as a guarantee that the work gets done. The INSURANCE company pays FEMA the stated amount on the bond, IF the GC doesn’t get the work done.
A bond has NOTHING to do with the insurance on the job – or at least, not much.
If the individual he worked for has NOT submitted a workers comp claim, they aren’t going to. That doesn’t mean they are off the hook!! The chain goes, your hubby’s employer, or the general that hired him/them, then the general that hired THEM, all the way up to the property owner. ALL those people can be held responsible for the death benefits related to this claim.
You need to take SEVERAL steps: 1. make a written request to his employer to file a workers comp claim. 2. file a complaint with the state department of labor, against his employer. 3. Give it two weeks, and talk to an attorney.
I rarely recommend attorney involvement, but I do think in the long run you’re going to need one. ON the one hand, the case is open & shut – even if his employer didn’t have WC coverage, the GC did, and they’re on the hook for all benefits for uninsured subs – which your hubby likely is. On the other hand, getting money out of contractors is BRUTAL. Getting them to file claims is VERY BRUTAL. So I think you’re going to need real help with this.
And I’m very sorry for your loss.
Montelongo’s Concrete – Fred Loya Insurance Group
In by gone days all a contractor had to do was give the customer good quality and good service and he/she would be set. Then set back and let your customers do your selling for you. They would tell a friend and then that friend would tell a friend. Your phone would be ringing off the hook. I remember as an Architectural designer some days I would have up to four people wanting to schedule appointments for designs. Those days are long gone! But Fear Not! Click Here For Help
