If a contractor fails to pull the required permits, the property owner ultimately faces the legal and financial burden, even if it was the contractor's responsibility. You could be hit with stop-work orders, hefty fines, forced demolition, voided insurance, and major issues when selling your home.
Usually, yes. In almost every standard residential construction agreement, pulling the required permits is part of the contractor's job description. They are the ones with the license, the liability insurance, and the knowledge of local codes.
KEY TAKEAWAYUnder Florida Statute § 489.127, a first-offense unlicensed contracting charge carries first-degree misdemeanor penalties—up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
5 Common Mistakes Contractors Make (And How to Avoid Them)
Louisiana requires handypeople to register as a Home Improvement Contractor for projects costing more than $7,500, but under $50,000. For projects $50,000 or more, you must hold a Residential Contractor License issued by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.
The Louisiana Contractor Licensing Laws require a commercial contractor's license for projects of $50,000 or more, hazardous materials projects in excess of $1.00, and for plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work on commercial projects of $10,000 or more.
If you make cash payments to independent contractors, the first thing you should know is that there is nothing inherently illegal about doing so. Cash is still a perfectly good form of payment. If you have cash on hand and want to use it to pay your contractors, then you can absolutely do so.
Don't Tell a Contractor That You Aren't in A Hurry. If you tell a contractor that there's no rush to complete your project, they will give your job the lowest priority possible. They will take on other jobs and spend their time doing other things, besides getting your job done.
Falls are the leading cause of death in construction work, accounting for roughly 36% to 40% of all fatalities in the industry.
Common causes include:
Not all failures to complete work on time are criminal. A simple breach of contract due to unforeseen circumstances or negligence is usually a civil matter. However, when there is clear evidence of intent to defraud, criminal charges are appropriate.
Making the Right Decision
Suing a contractor for poor work can absolutely be worth it under the right circumstances. Serious defects, strong evidence, significant damages, clear contractual breaches, and realistic prospects for recovery create situations where legal action makes sense both financially and practically.
In construction and business, subcontractors are hired to perform specialized tasks. They fall into three primary categories based on who hires them:
Whether the work was done by a previous owner, an overzealous contractor, or as a quick weekend project, an appraiser will spot it – and the financial consequences can be severe.
To protect yourself from contractor scams, never pay in full upfront, and always verify their license and insurance. Get at least three written bids, check references, and demand a detailed contract outlining the project scope, payment schedule, and start/finish dates before any work begins.
The most searched question we see is “who pulls permits homeowner or contractor?” Here's the definitive answer: The contractor you hire is responsible for pulling permits for any work they perform on your property.
A contract is illegal and considered void (unenforceable) from the start if its purpose, subject matter, or execution violates the law. An agreement can be invalidated by specific statutes, court precedent, or general public policy.
In contract law, a mutual (bilateral) mistake of a material fact is most likely to be voidable. This happens when both parties are wrong about a fundamental assumption or a core fact regarding the agreement, meaning there was no true "meeting of the minds".
The Four Key Types of Mistakes in Contract Law
Nationally, roofing has the highest fatal injury rate among all construction trades, with a rate of over 50 deaths per 100,000 workers annually. However, general construction laborers suffer the highest total number of fatalities each year due to the sheer volume of workers in that category.
Approximately 94% to 96% of motor vehicle accidents are caused by human error. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these driver-related mistakes are primarily broken down into four main categories:
The biggest killer in history is malaria, an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted by mosquitoes. It is estimated to have caused up to 50% of all human deaths throughout history.
If you are planning a remodel, you should look out for these common scams.
Contractors All Risks insurance offers cover for your materials, equipment, tools and building works, as well as protection for third-party injury or damage claims by those you work with.
The contractor's capacity to properly plan, oversee and execute work gets stretched too thin, leading to mistakes, additional costs and longer than planned schedules. The financial resources of the company may not be sufficient to finance the work or to absorb mistakes – or both.