Contract Contractor Building For Residential In Massachusetts
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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.
The state license is only valid for work involving structures less than 35,000 cubic feet, for one- and two-family dwellings. As an exception to this requirement, Building Permits are also issued to homeowners doing work on one- and two-family dwellings where they reside or intend to reside.
Permits are required for most construction projects in Massachusetts, including building a deck. This is to ensure that the deck is built safely and meets all applicable codes and regulations. The permit process also helps to protect homeowners from liability in the event of an accident on the deck.
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).
You must work hard to get your contractor license in Massachusetts. Before you can even apply for one, you need to get three years of experience. Once you've got your experience, you have to perform well on an exam as well submit a license application and supporting documents to the Board for approval.
Under the Massachusetts State Building Code, 780 CMR, the owner of a one or two family dwelling is allowed to secure their own building permit, in lieu of a licensed general contractor.
How To Write A Construction Contract With 7 Steps Step 1: Define the Parties Involved. Step 2: Outline the Scope of Work. Step 3: Establish the Timeline. Step 4: Determine the Payment Terms. Step 5: Include Necessary Legal Clauses. Step 6: Address Change Orders and Modifications. Step 7: Sign and Execute the Contract.
The HIC programs require all home improvement contractors to register with the Commonwealth, process consumer complaints, maintain an arbitration program for resolving disputes and compensate consumers up to $25,000 for unpaid judgments from the Guaranty Fund.
Contracts don't need to be in legal language, but they do need to outline exactly who is responsible for what from obtaining various permissions (such as building control approval) to timings, tidying up, materials, insurance and how payments will be made. A written contract will protect you and reduce risks.
