Do you need a license to be a general contractor in MA? Massachusetts general contractors who work on buildings of less than 35,000 cubic feet must have a license issued by the state. In some cases, you may also need to register as a home improvement contractor through the Office of Public Safety and Inspections.
Most construction projects will require both a licensed and registered contractor. However, if your contractor does not hold a valid CSL but the work he/she contracts to perform requires it, he/she must obtain a CSL or hire an active Construction Supervisor Licensee to supervise the project.
As a registered HIC, you can work on minor residential property repair and maintenance jobs such as trim carpentry, gutters, kitchen cabinets, shelving and exterior painting. For more complex jobs, you need a restricted, unrestricted or specialty Massachusetts Contractor Supervisor License.
A homeowner may apply for their own permit and act as a general contractor. By doing so, they would be taking on any and all responsibility for code and zoning compliance. Also, anyone who performs work on an owner occupied one-to-four-family home must possess a Home Improvement Contractor's Registration (HIC).
All contractors, partnerships, and corporations that solicit, bid on, or perform residential contracting as a contractor or subcontractor on an existing one to four unit owner occupied residential property in Massachusetts must be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC).
Below are eight important points to consider including in an independent contractor agreement. Define a Scope of Work. Set a Timeline for the Project. Specify Payment Terms. State Desired Results and Agree on Performance Measurement. Detail Insurance Requirements. Include a Statement of Independent Contractor Relationship.