Craftsman Looking for Home Renovation Jobs

NatBoh · Apr 9, 2012

I perform many aspects of home renovation and am letting my fellow MDS'ers know about my services. I specialize in kitchen and bathroom renovation, basement finishing, hardwood flooring, tile installation, all types of carpentry, window and door installation, drywall, and painting. I can handle other projects as well.

I strive to build a project with craftsmanship and attention to detail. I try to always conduct myself with professionalism and integrity. I live and work in central Maryland.

If anyone needs work done, I would appreciate a chance to earn your business. Estimates are always free.

Thanks!

DeadIDik · Apr 9, 2012

You got a MHIC License? If so post the number.

mark500 · Apr 13, 2012

How much experience you have in this field?

NatBoh · Apr 15, 2012

I'm working on getting the license, it's a lengthy process that State puts you through to allow you to make a living in this field, and it doesn't happen overnight. In the meantime I'm trying to feed and support myself with skills I've acquired through 15 years of working as a carpenter for a general contractor, and performing whole-house renovations on old houses as an owner-occupant.

I love my work, and I build each project as if it were my own. Craftsmanship is not dead!

fd318 · May 7, 2012

How much do you know about retrofitting plumbing?

MEGALUG · May 7, 2012

fd318 said:
How much do you know about retrofitting plumbing?

Might want to get a plumber and not a carpenter..just sayin :innocent0

DeadIDik · May 7, 2012

NatBoh said:
I'm working on getting the license, it's a lengthy process that State puts you through to allow you to make a living in this field, and it doesn't happen overnight. In the meantime I'm trying to feed and support myself with skills I've acquired through 15 years of working as a carpenter for a general contractor, and performing whole-house renovations on old houses as an owner-occupant.

I love my work, and I build each project as if it were my own. Craftsmanship is not dead!

Getting a license isnt difficult, getting caught working without one and insurance will seriously affect your career.

PJDiesel · May 8, 2012

Age?
Years of experience?
Willing to travel (50 miles)?

psucobra96 · May 9, 2012

Get yourself licensed ASAP, and before you take on any project under your own name. There are both criminal and civil penalties you can face for not doing it. Plus lots of little requirements you need to follow. I see many contractors get in trouble because they failed to get the license, and follow the rules. If you have any questions P.M. me, contract law is one of my focus areas of practice and if I wiill be happy to help you out any way I can.

Redneck · May 9, 2012

For the time being get your LLC. Getting an MHIC is somewhat easy, but the procress and insurance is where it gets tough. Good luck to you.

Les Gawlik · May 9, 2012

psucobra96 said:
Get yourself licensed ASAP.

This is good advice. The state guards home improvement licensing far more jealously than you imagine. If anyone complains, you will be prosecuted. That's an enormous amount of power to yield to people you don't know very well. Even if you are confident of your talent, you must also be confident of integrity of the people for whom you are doing work.

Jaybeez · May 9, 2012

NatBoh said:
I'm working on getting the license, it's a lengthy process that State puts you through to allow you to make a living in this field, and it doesn't happen overnight. In the meantime I'm trying to feed and support myself with skills I've acquired through 15 years of working as a carpenter for a general contractor, and performing whole-house renovations on old houses as an owner-occupant.

I love my work, and I build each project as if it were my own. Craftsmanship is not dead!

its not hard. all you have to do is pay the fee, prove you aren't in debt up to your ears with a credit report, show that you have a little money in the bank, pay a few hundred for insurance, and take a short multiple choice test on taxes and contract and advertising laws.

its illegal for you to even advertise like this without a Mhic number, and its a slap in the face to people like me that jump through the hoops and play by the rules. its 30 days in jail and a $10,000 fine iirc.

if you don't have a license, are you even paying taxes or carrying liability insurance? you obviously wont be pulling permits for any of your work because the counties check for a number. and as the other poster mentioned, I've seen quite a few people refuse to pay unlicensed chucks with trucks when the job was done.

I'm particularly hateful to unlicensed hacks, the junky that burglarized my truck and stole $1000's in tools from me was unlicensed and ripping off people all over the county.

and remember folks, if you are getting work done in an older home (like those in Baltimore), you need to have a contractor certified by the EPA for lead paint.

PJDiesel · May 9, 2012

Jaybeez said:
.....its illegal for you to even advertise like this without a Mhic number, and its a slap in the face to people like me that jump through the hoops and play by the rules. its 30 days in jail and a $10,000 fine iirc.

Every done a whole house, start to finish (GC'ing the trades too)?

Redneck · May 9, 2012

Jaybeez said:
its not hard. all you have to do is pay the fee, prove you aren't in debt up to your ears with a credit report, show that you have a little money in the bank, pay a few hundred for insurance, and take a short multiple choice test on taxes and contract and advertising laws.

its illegal for you to even advertise like this without a Mhic number, and its a slap in the face to people like me that jump through the hoops and play by the rules. its 30 days in jail and a $10,000 fine iirc.

if you don't have a license, are you even paying taxes or carrying liability insurance? you obviously wont be pulling permits for any of your work because the counties check for a number. and as the other poster mentioned, I've seen quite a few people refuse to pay unlicensed chucks with trucks when the job was done.

I'm particularly hateful to unlicensed hacks, the junky that burglarized my truck and stole $1000's in tools from me was unlicensed and ripping off people all over the county.

and remember folks, if you are getting work done in an older home (like those in Baltimore), you need to have a contractor certified by the EPA for lead paint.

Very good points.

We see it all the time, fly by night guys getting work instead of us because they are cheaper. The reason, they aren't licensed. I've seen a lot of people get burned because of this.

Jaybeez · May 9, 2012

PJDiesel said:
Every done a whole house, start to finish (GC'ing the trades too)?

that requires a Maryland home builder registration from the office of the attorney general.

if you're trying to solicit me shoot me a pm.

crfakm4 · May 9, 2012

Jaybeez said:
its not hard. all you have to do is pay the fee, prove you aren't in debt up to your ears with a credit report, show that you have a little money in the bank, pay a few hundred for insurance, and take a short multiple choice test on taxes and contract and advertising laws.
its illegal for you to even advertise like this without a Mhic number, and its a slap in the face to people like me that jump through the hoops and play by the rules. its 30 days in jail and a $10,000 fine iirc.

if you don't have a license, are you even paying taxes or carrying liability insurance? you obviously wont be pulling permits for any of your work because the counties check for a number. and as the other poster mentioned, I've seen quite a few people refuse to pay unlicensed chucks with trucks when the job was done.

I'm particularly hateful to unlicensed hacks, the junky that burglarized my truck and stole $1000's in tools from me was unlicensed and ripping off people all over the county.

and remember folks, if you are getting work done in an older home (like those in Baltimore), you need to have a contractor certified by the EPA for lead paint.

I had my license from 93' to 99' then quit the rat race. Back then, it was fairly easy to obtain an MHIC. Now that I am back in the biz, I received my license in January of 2011. Let me tell you that things have changed. It was not a fun process and they are far more thorough and detailed about your finances these days. The amount of info they want is mind boggling. Luckily I had spoke with a gentleman behind the counter who provided me with some info to help the process along. One reason for them not handing the MHIC out like worhtless trinkets anymore is that the Guaranty Fund monies has dropped from 5 million to 3-400,000 in just 4 years due to the economy and guys going out of business and screwing everyone in the process, as in not finishing jobs they were contracted out for. So that means the state picks up the tab for assisting the homeowner to finish the project and or legal fees for the court costs. Unless you are more than upside in your debt to income ratio it will be tough to get approved. That was my experience. I should have just kept my license alive from back in the day but oh well.

I didnt post all of that to discourage you, just be prepared to lay out your entire financial portfolio so to speak and I mean everything. Good luck!

Rich1911 · Jun 8, 2012

Also, just because a company is licensed doesn't mean you are going to get a top notch job. I am licensed and I have seen a lot of shoddy work from other contractors. always get 3 estimates and check their references.

marko · Jun 13, 2012

Ha Ha the last job I was on the contractor was licensed, the crew was 100% illegal, and they did crappy crappy crappy crappy work. On a $2 mil condo.
License = fees to .gov.
They f'd up the condo.

Threeband · Jun 13, 2012

I've had to go in and do major repairs, rebuilding, etc on jobs that were seriously screwed up by illegals working for licensed contractors on very high dollar jobs.

I've gone in and sort of rebuilt roofs that they totally screwed up, f****ed up the truss packages, etc.

I remember one high dollar custom house off Piney Meetinghouse Road in the North Potomac area, the illegals did such an efficient job framing the house, they had a large I-beam left over, sitting in the yard. I'm not sure how they did that, because the beam was intended to be a significant structural member. I guess it takes a certain kind of skill. Anyway, that was one f****-up I did not touch. I wanted nothing to do with that one.

O2b4wln · Jun 14, 2012

I'm a licensed architect and trying to find craftsmen to work on my projects that know their trade is a rare thing. Get your license, put together a portfolio of your work and market yourself.
Every custom project that I work on my first requirement is that if your work is going to be seen (carpentry, masonry, metal work, etc), I need to see a portfolio showcasing your past work.
Good luck and keep us appraised on your situation.

Craftsman Looking for Home Renovation Jobs

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