CCB sweep turns up unlicensed E. Oregon contractors
Field investigators from the Oregon Construction Contractors Board conducted a sweep of Eastern Oregon last week, checking over 100 job sites. The enforcement action turned up 33 alleged violations, including eight unlicensed contractors and nine contractors working without lead-based paint licenses.
Other violations included failure to display CCB number on advertisements and failure to provide a written contract for jobs over $2,000, the agency said Monday.
The sweep was conducted in Eastern Oregon locations including Malheur, Grant, Baker, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties. The majority of the violations involved home improvement and remodeling projects.
“Sometimes contractors run into trouble when their subcontractor’s license expires midway through the job,” explained Lead Investigator Eric McLauchlin. “It’s very important for contractors to continually check the licenses of their subcontractors.”
To make this easier, the CCB provides contractors with a free online license monitoring tool called e-Watch. Interested contractors can sign up for e-Watch by logging onto their CCB account at www.oregon.gov/ccb.
Under Oregon laws, nearly everyone who repairs, remodels or constructs a home must have a contractor’s license with the CCB. Homeowners seeking a contractor to perform work can verify the license on the CCB’s website at http://search.ccb.state.or.us/search/.
To verify the license online:
Type the license number into the “Search” feature. Click on the “choose” button beside the proper license number. Verify that the license is “active.”
While verifying the license, homeowners can also check for the residential endorsement (required to perform residential work), and the lead-based paint license, which is required to work on homes built before 1978.
Hiring licensed contractors gives homeowners access to the CCB’s mediation process during a dispute with their contractor. Licensed contractors also have a bond and insurance to cover damage to the property and injuries to the contractor or its employees. People with questions can call the Construction Contractors Board at 503-378-4621.
