There are certainly some red flags there. For a major remodel, you need to ensure your contractor is licensed and insured. Especially in a highly regulated state like CA, I am sure there are laws saying that contractors have to be licensed to do certain work.
Having the contractor is important for a case where there is an accident on the work site, say the contractor falls off a ladder and injures himself. If he is properly insured, his company's insurance will cover any claims and you as the home owner will not be liable.
@Scott Mac I don't know. I don't want to get into his personal life but a full remodel is different than some odd jobs. How should I broach the subject?
There are certainly some red flags there. For a major remodel, you need to ensure your contractor is licensed and insured. Especially in a highly regulated state like CA, I am sure there are laws saying that contractors have to be licensed to do certain work.
Having the contractor is important for a case where there is an accident on the work site, say the contractor falls off a ladder and injures himself. If he is properly insured, his company's insurance will cover any claims and you as the home owner will not be liable.
I would hard pass on this guy and keep him in his lane. Since he does good work keep him happy with the odd jobs but nothing more. You're talking >$1K jobs compared to $10K+, it's a whole new level of time management and coordination of people. Find another licensed contractor with a bank account.
I once had a client let a tenant (who was a contractor) do some work to make up back rent. The tenant presented him with a worker's compensation claim. He had no worker’s compensation coverage so he had to retain a lawyer at his expense. Thankfully the claim was miss filed and later determined to be false.
It points out the danger of using this “handyman” even for the small work. You can be fairly sure that he does not have medical insurance. If he gets injured, you will end up with a claim.
you need to use a licensed & insured contractor or get a policy for Workers Comp for your business.