Oregon Construction Contractors Board reminds homeowners: Check they are licensed before hiring for a project

(Update: Adding video, poll, comments from CCB and Bend construction company)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The weather is starting to get warmer with spring rolling into the High Desert, which is a popular time for home improvement projects to get underway.

Those plans come with a warning to make sure you hire a licensed contractor. The warning comes from the Construction Contractors Board.

When making decisions to remodel, or get an addition or other home improvements, the CCB can be a resource. On their website, homeowners can check a contractor's license number and make sure it's active.

"You can find 10 years of history on the contractors license (site) -- complaint history, whether they have a lead-paint based license, and how long they have been licensed," Leslie Culpepper, CCB's communication and education manager, said Friday.

The CCB is the state agency licensing over 42,000 contractors -- anyone who is paid to repair, improve or build a home is required to be licensed. Licensed contractors carry insurance and a surety bond to protect homeowners.

Bend-based Linnius Construction builds and remodels homes.

Project Manager Alexandra McCrea said, "There's a lot of things that can happen, if somebody is unlicensed, and say they do a terrible job or they leave the work unfinished. There's not really any professional repercussions that happen to them, because they're not licensed."

Linnius offers ongoing training for its employees and has to renew its license every two years. 

"We have a lot of project managers, crew members, carpenters that have gone through trainings," McCrea said. "Continuing education is really important to us."

When a contractor is licensed, the CCB also can provide mediation if there's a dispute with a homeowner. With an unlicensed contractor, you may end up in court and have to hire a licensed contractor to repair the damage. 

Culpepper said, "If it turns out that the contractor isn't licensed and you haven't hired them yet, you can report them to the Construction Contractors Board. We have a page on our web site where you can do that, and then I would not hire that contractor."

The CCB has a free live webinar to provide tips and tricks on how to check the license and search features.

Here is the rest of the recent press release from the CCB:

Why It’s Important to Hire Licensed Contractors

Licensed contractors carry insurance and a surety bond to protect homeowners when construction projects go wrong. Additionally, for homeowners in dispute with licensed contractors, the Construction Contractors Board provides mediation services. These services can help both parties settle their differences outside of court.

Homeowners who hire unlicensed contractors have little recourse when a home improvement goes wrong. Some homeowners choose to go to court at their own expense, but many simply give up and hire a licensed contractor to repair the damage. 

Check the License Online

Before signing a contract, check to make sure your contractor has an active license at http://search.ccb.state.or.us/search/. This site also provides up to 10 years of history on any contractor’s license, including consumer complaints. 

To check 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 lead-based paint license, which is usually required to work on homes built before 1978. Click on the “learn more about this business” link inside the contractor's license record to view lead-based paint information. 

Want to Know More? CCB Offers Resources to Consumers 

Consumer Webinar 

CCB will be hosting a free live webinar on Tuesday, April 11 at 10:30 a.m. to go over important information about how to check the license and use the license search feature, how to find and vet contractors and more.

For homeowners performing home improvement projects this year, CCB’s webinar can help answer questions and provide tips. Registration for the webinar can be found on CCB’s website www.oregon.gov/ccb. 

Homeowner Newsletter

The Tools and Tips is a quarterly electronic homeowner newsletter that covers information about how to perform successful home improvement projects. Sign up for the newsletter on CCB’s website, www.oregon.gov/ccb

Informational Brochures

Want more resources from CCB? CCB publishes brochures with information to help homeowners performing home improvement projects. 

• Guide to Selecting and Working with a Contractor (available in English and in Spanish)
• Business card holder trifold

Contact CCB to receive copies of these free brochures by mail. Email the CCB education section at ccb.education@ccb.oregon.gov or fill out a request on CCB’s online order form. 

Anyone with questions can call the Construction Contractors Board at 503-378-4621.

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About the CCB

The CCB is the state agency licensing over 42,000 contractors. Virtually anyone who is paid to repair, improve or build a home must be licensed. Learn more about how to have a successful project at www.oregon.gov/ccb.