Hurricane season is almost here. It begins on June 1st. We like to remind our contractors and friends to always be prepared each year, whether or not the previous year was an active hurricane season or not.
As a contractor, it’s important that you are licensed if you plan to work on homes that received damage from any hurricane. As a licensed contractor, you give clients more peace of mind and more personal and financial protection as you are required to comply with building codes and are covered by homeowner’s insurance.
Before a person hires a contractor, they should verify if you are licensed. People can contact the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) to ask for the contractor’s licensed number. The DBPR can be reached at 850-487-1395 or at www.myfloridalicense.com.
In Florida, a contractor must have their license number on their business card and any advertising material. In the state of Florida, any type of contractor (plumbing, roofer, HVAC, electrician) needs to have a license.
When hiring a contractor during or post hurricane season, a potential client should consider the following tips:
- Obtain several cost estimates to ensure you’re getting a fair assessment.
- Check references and reviews.
- Don’t commit to a contract or make a payment on the spot.
- Get everything in writing including a description of the work, total costs, and completion date.
It’s essential for Florida contractors to be licensed and build to code to ensure your homes are safe from future storms.
In an event of a hurricane, the DBPR suggests people should refer to the follow state and DBPR resources to assist them:
- apps.floridadisaster.org – At this site, you can create a specialized disaster plan for your business.
- floridadisaster.biz – On this site, businesses can register to access information and updates on disasters, and seek out financial assistance.
- floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone — This site allows you to find your evacuation zone.
- FloridaDisaster.org – The Florida Division of Emergency Management’s webpages allows you to access tips, storm updates, and other resources.
- FLGov.com – This site will give you updates from the Florida Governor.
- Unlicensed Activity Resources – This link has information regarding unlicensed activity FAQs, tips for hiring licensed professionals, printable informational materials, and more.
- myfloridalicense.com – If a person wants to verify someone’s license with the DBPR, they can visit this site, call 850-487-1395, or download the DBPR mobile app.
- If you see any suspected unlicensed activity in Florida, you can contact the DBPR and report the situation by emailing theme at ULA@myfloridalicense.com, calling the Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1-866-532-1440, or using the DBPR mobile app.
Have any questions about hurricane preparedness or hiring or becoming a licensed contractor? Our team at Licenses, Etc. is always willing and able to help. Call us at 239-777-1028 or email us at support@licensesetc.com. If you have an additional questions about getting your Florida contractor’s license, don’t hesitate to ask, or visit our Florida contractor’s license page.