Washington State Flipping, and General Contractor License

[Greg Lovern]

Two questions about the requirements in Washington State around making improvements to a home that I buy for the purpose of flipping and own for less than 12 months:

• If I'm not licensed as a general contractor, but hire one to oversee the work, can I do any of the work myself? Or does RCW 18.27.090(11) mean that I can't do any of that work even though it is overseen by the general contractor?
• If I'm not licensed as a general contractor, can I still do routine maintenance work such as cleaning and mowing the lawn? What about pruning the landscaping? 

[Chris Ehlert]

I just did one in Washington sate. You can only do flooring, paint, and cabinets if owned less than a year. You have to have a licensed and bonded contractor for any structural, plumbing, and electrical work with owning less than a year. That was the law as I read it and discussed with contractors.