As floodwaters begin to recede in Southwest Florida, many now face the task of clean-up. But before you hire any old handy man, officials say you should make sure they are a licensed contractor. According to Sarasota County Deputy Building Official Guy McCauley, unlicensed contractors aren't just working illegally, they leave homeowners with no recourse if things go wrong. And in many cases, insurance won't pay for work done by an unlicensed contractor.
McCauley, a former contractor, joins Gulf Coast Live to talk about why having that license is so critical for anyone working on homes, and why homeowners need to investigate before hiring someone to work on their home. He says a quick trip to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s web site can help avoid many homeowner headaches.
He'll also talk about a unique task force in Sarasota that netted nine arrests last month in a sting operation targeting unlicensed contractors.
