I have been a flooring installer for 40 years and will be glad to answer all your flooring questions, if I can.
Any questions?
- Thread starter Floorist
- Start date
Help Support Flooring Forum - DIY & Professional:
What does it take to get a flooring license? I've done about 5000 sq. feet of various floors (glue down oak, floating floor, tile, wood look tile, linoleum, and even carpeting) and really like the results. This current job was a $4,000 quote, and since it is for a girlfriend, I traded it for a MK-100 wet saw, which is mine to keep when this job is done.
Second question....when a quote is provided for a floor, what is the typical additional price for baseboard installation as well?
Second question....when a quote is provided for a floor, what is the typical additional price for baseboard installation as well?
We have a couple pros from Calif and since every state is different, I'll let them answer.
TNT
Well-Known Member
I've never heard of having to secure a license, and would be curious to know this answer.
Pay my fellas $1 a linear foot for prefinished baseboard installation, and it runs about $$2.70 if they buy it unfinished, stain to match the existing woodwork and install.
How much is an MK-100 worth? Not familiar with the price of that.
Hope this helps,
Tia
I know that in Oregon, Calif and Arizona, you have to be licensed. Just don't know the details.
The MK-100 costs ~$850 with a stand. I probably should have purchased a better saw because the sliding table binds badly, and is one of the major complaints of that saw. The company is just down the road so when I get done with this job, I'm going to take it back and either demand they fix it of upgrade to a better version.
TNT
Well-Known Member
Ohhh, you didn't trade the saw for the whole job. You got other trade or compensation for the rest!
I was thinking ~ This current job was a $4,000 quote, and since it is for a girlfriend, I traded it for a MK-100 wet saw, which is mine to keep when this job is done. ~ it was a stright trade. Had never heard of a saw worth that much!Tia
For years, I used a Harbor Freight wet saw that cost me a whopping $60. After replacing the crappy blade, I got pretty use to that ol' POS. Since taking on this job, I figured it was time for something a little better for a better looking result!
Oh yeah, since she is somewhat of a new girlfriend, the compensation is more than I can handle!
Oh yeah, since she is somewhat of a new girlfriend, the compensation is more than I can handle!
TNT
Well-Known Member
Haha, I figured that!
I don't know a whole lot of anything about tools. Sometimes, not even much about installations. There are moments when customers ask me how something is done and I have a big "DUH" moment.Tia
In AZ and Ca there is a dollar limit as to how much flooring you can install without a license. Here it is $1,000.00 including labor and materials, no chopping the jobs in half to meet the criteria. You can get fined the first time, second time you can get jail time.
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Any job over $300 in California by law requires a State Contractors License. There's an application fee of $150. You have to pass a test on both your trade knowledge and basic Contract Law then document at least 4 years working at a journeyman level in the trade in which you are applying for. You also have to carry a bond on your license that will cover jobs that you walk away from that the customer can demonstrate you fouled up and refused to make good.
My license is currently on inactive status which cost $200 every 4 years. Normally to remain on active status you pay $300 every two years. To re-activate my license all I have to do is pay the normal fee, pro-rated for the rest of my expiration date.
P.S. I installed more than 5000 square feet of flooring on Friday. Any state that gives you a license should be charged as an accomplice and liable for when you eventually step in over your head. I'm not trying to discourage you. But the point of a license is to protect typical families and businesses from people with little or no experience passing themselves off as experts.
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But the point of a license is to protect typical families and businesses from people with little or no experience passing themselves off as experts.[/QUOTE said:
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The license is a really meager protection from unscrupulous and incompetent tradesmen but it's better than nothing. I don't recall what the bond is and don't feel like looking it up but typically the License Board gives the guy every opportunity to buy his way out of the customer complaint. They send out a quarterly newsletter listing all the revoked licenses with the name of the shop, it's location and a code that references the cause of the penalty. It's alway amusing to me to read the names of the outfits. They even sound sleazy.
Sounds like California is at least trying to do it right. For $25 and a building permit, I can build a new house here. And outside the city limits, I don't need anything. No license and no permit.
Since I am retired, I really don't want to get involved in a full time profession, but would love to get tile at wholesale prices, rather than paying the ridiculous marked up prices for the consumer. In order to do this, I would need a license.
I've tried twice and bombed out both times. I went to Dal Tile and saw some field tiles which were ~.50 a piece, but they were unable to sell them to me. They then provided me the part numbers and directed me down the street to a tile retailer. This retailer wrote the part numbers down on an invoice, charged me ~1.60 a piece, and then sent me back to Dal where they filled the order for me. Seemed pretty ridiculous and a big waste of time, especially when we were just breaking them up for a mosaic concrete picnic bench.
In California you have to take a two part test. The first is the law part. The second part is on the trade itself, which is a C-15 Flooring and Floorcovering.
I live up by the Oregon boarder so I had to drive to Sacramento. You might have a place in LA for the testing. I was in the business for maybe 11 years when I took the test, but when it came time for it, I took the 3 day crash course that's offered by different outfits, then tested the next day. It's worth the money. You can get books in advance to study from. That was 26 years ago, so I'm sure some things have changed.
Here's a good place to start your search.
http://www.contractorschool.com/?gclid=CN6c1eeygqwCFUkZQgoduUG8Lg
I'm sure they'll answer any questions you'd have.
Good luck!
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You should just check their dumpster once in awhile for that.
