The Maryland Home Improvement Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating home improvement contractors and sellers. Home improvement work includes altering, remodeling, repairing, or replacing a building or part of a building used as a residence. The Commission investigates landlord complaints, awards monetary damages to authorized contractors, and prosecutes violators of home improvement law and regulations. Managing designs, estimates, bids, and budgets is essential for successful projects.
It is also important to assign the right people to the right jobs and monitor their productivity in real time. Procore provides capital project management solutions that help move projects forward by connecting teams with relevant financial information. It also helps reduce inefficiencies, boost productivity, and safeguard margins. Contractors must obtain the right license to demonstrate their professionalism and experience to customers and protect their payment rights.
Most states require contractors to be licensed by law. Working without a contractor's license is illegal in some cases. Contractors must also run ethical businesses, and states must ensure that they do so to protect consumers. The requirements for obtaining a contractor license vary from state to state.
It is important for contractors to have certain insurance such as liability insurance and workers' compensation. Some states and cities also require contractors to secure bail bonds. Contractors must also meet the 120-day deadlines for the purchase of materials. Having the right license is essential for safety reasons as well. State regulatory boards want to make sure that the contractor knows the proper thickness of the headers, how to connect an electrical panel, how to ensure that a gas water heater works properly, and how to handle many other potentially dangerous situations. General contractors may need a license depending on the value of the project.
Some states also require separate licenses for commercial and residential work. General contractors may also need to have a license bond. The requirements for obtaining a specialized contractor or subcontractor license vary widely from state to state. Some states require nearly all subcontractors and specialists to have and maintain a license to operate within the state while other states are much more relaxed and leave licensing in the hands of individual municipalities.
