General Contractors license

[unclemoak]

Does anyone know what is required to get a general contractor's license in PA?

I was thinking about starting a handy-man business as something to do in the evenings for some extra spending money. I doubt anything I would get into would substantiate a contractor's license, but if it's easy to obtain, it might be a good thing to have.

[Swamp Yankee]

A Computer and a printer. In some Cities they require you purchase a license which you get when you grease the right palms.

Mike Mc

[spabula]

I am not 100% sure but I dont think contracting is a licensed profession in PA. Usually you register your business with the state and then you most likely would have to get a buiness license from your city or township. But it is a general business license not specifically for contracting. Check out the PA Open for Business website it has some good info on it. I know in my township my business license is a whole whopping $10 per year and they collect like a 1% tax on revenue. Insurance on the other hand.... different story. That is actually what I would look into first.

[bogey1]

a license is obtained through the township building (codes enforcement area) all you need is liability insurance. some townships require you to have workman's comp on yourself. the license usually runs about 50.00 per calender year.

[Swarner793]

A Computer and a printer. In some Cities they require you purchase a license which you get when you grease the right palms.

Mike Mc

I think this is the winner. I have tried to background contractors before. No State requirement. Municipalities may have requirements but that is tough to track.

Also, years ago (20), me and two buddies built homes in speculation. Shit, all I had to start with was a hammer That was in the Quakertown area, everything had to be inspected. Whereas, if you were "licensed" by the Municipality, you were exempt from the inspection every step of the way. It may have changed.

Be safe.

Scott

[bogey1]

DONT DO ELECTRIC WORK....thats a whole different ball game..

[unclemoak]

a license is obtained through the township building (codes enforcement area) all you need is liability insurance. some townships require you to have workman's comp on yourself. the license usually runs about 50.00 per calender year.

The insurance aspect is the biggest thing I'm worried about. I don't really see a point in workman's comp on myself since I have insurance through my day job (actually my mother's employer, since I'm still in college).

[Swarner793]

The insurance aspect is the biggest thing I'm worried about. I don't really see a point in workman's comp on myself since I have insurance through my day job (actually my mother's employer, since I'm still in college).

Get liability insurance. The big thing is if your actions cause others damage.

Be safe.

Scott

[unclemoak]

Get liability insurance. The big thing is if your actions cause others damage.

Be safe.

Scott

That would be a definite. My father has been in the insurance business for 30 some years, so I've been picking his brain.

[greasy]

Yeah, definitely dont want to skimp on insurance. Even if you are only doing basic handyman work, you are going to want a ~500,000 policy... just in case anything were to happen.