The likelihood of needing to hire a contractor to do work around your house or your office is high. Whether you need a sink repaired, you want new flooring, or you want to remodel a room, there are lots of contractors ready to help you. But not all contractors provide the same level of service.
Many states, just like Washington state, require that contractors be bonded. Washington requires that general contractors maintain a $12,000 bond and specialty contractors maintain a $6,000 bond. If the contractor damages your property or causes other covered types of harm to you or your property, you can make a claim against the bond. If you prove your damages and the damages are those covered by the bond, the bonding company will reimburse you for your damages. The contractor then has to pay the bonding company back.
There are many contractors that do not maintain a bond. These contractors put their customers at risk and tend to create a bad name for other good contractors in the industry. That’s why reputable contractors will always protect their customers by maintaining the bond that their state requires.
So, when you’re hiring a contractor, ask for the state registration license number and proof that they are bonded. Reputable contractors will always provide this information. If you want to verify the information for yourself, just contact the local licensing office. In Washington, you can verify this information online with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Office at https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/
At Northwest Corporate Counsel, we always work with our business clients to keep their costs down, to establish a budget, and to give them the best service without the billable hour quotas of larger law firms. If we can help your business, just let us know. Give us a call at 509-710-1914 or email us at David@NWCorporateCounsel.com and let us know how we can help.
Disclaimer: The content of this website is intended to convey general information. It should not be relied upon as legal advice. It is not an offer to represent you, nor is it intended to create an attorney-client relationship. We do invite you to contact us; however, please do not send any confidential information until we have confirmed an attorney-client privilege has been established.