Hello everyone

[satcom]

Didn't someone from Mass not to long ago post a copy of a Mass permit about this same subject on insurance. And on the permit there was a line that the homeowner could sign off about knowing that the person doing the work doesn't have the required insurance. I printed the copy myself but I din't have anymore.
Lou

And what homeowner in their right frame of thinking, would release anyone working in their home from liability. Which brings up another point, what homeowner, would let anyone without workers comp coverage, work on their property

The whole idea of consumer protection laws, are to protect the homeowner, not the contractor.

 

[dnem]

Not the same in all states, and not the same with different insurance companies, some pay, some fight it, the stock insurance companies may fight it, a lot of them have clauses in their policies that underwriting is dependent on following all building codes, and obtaining permits where required, or language to that effect, a lot of the mutual companies don't have any restrictions and just pay out claims, I can remember thru the years insurance investigators comming to fire company, looking for records, and we would direct them to the city attorney office.

We get insurance companies that call our building department to request inspection records. . Freedom of information act says we must provide what they ask for. . Many homeowners don't realize that they've paid for year after year for insurance that they don't actually have after the insurance company finds out what work was done without inspection.

Liability is a huge issue !

I hope dSilanskas and other startup guys take note of the legal/insurance liability and the ease at which they can get screwed by the "professionals", the GCs that "play the game" everyday and walk over everybody in their path on the way to bigger and bigger money.

David

 

[dnem]

And what homeowner in their right frame of thinking, would release anyone working in their home from liability. Which brings up another point, what homeowner, would let anyone without workers comp coverage, work on their property

Homeowners don't even think about it. . If you brought it up in front of most of them, a large percentage would say, "Oh Yeah, forgot about that !" and a large percentage would look at you with a confused look on their face.

David

 

[JohnE]

Yes, in MA the owner of a property can sign a waiver so that the permit holder does not need liability insurance.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

If a side work guy burns your house down, you get to file on your own insurance, if

If you are in an area that requires a permit be pulled and the side guy doesn't do it then your insurance can refuse to pay.

I'll believe that when someone cites ONE verifiable case of it happening, Until then, this is just an urban legend used to drum up sales.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Sounds great until you find that 90% of that is overhead, and operating costs, your lucky to to keep $20 out of a grand.

If you're married you won't even keep that

 

[dwellselectric]

I have liability insurance and I do have a business because that is the only way I could get insurance. But I work for someone else does that make any sense?

 

[satcom]

I have liability insurance and I do have a business because that is the only way I could get insurance. But I work for someone else does that make any sense?

Your not doing side jobs, your building a business the slow hard way.

 

[JohnE]

Without reading the whole thread, is this job for a homeowner or a GC?

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I just couln't read all the posts in this thread but did want to say this.

Anytime a customer wants to supply material, it's OK with me. I just figure out how much profit I would make on the material, and add 80% of it to the labor part of the job (I'll give up 20% of the profit on materials if I don't have to buy them). Labor is lump sum, no hourly breakdown. The customer is responsible for doing the take-offs, and there are demurage charges if materials on not on site.

I don't get too many jobs where the customer supplies the materials. I guess I'm too hard to get along with.

 

[dwellselectric]

The job is for a contractor not a homeowner. They are supplying everything

 

[George Stolz]

I am closing this thread, at the request of the OP (after I asked).

To all, bear in mind that if a thread completely derails on you, and you want something done about it, you need to report posts or PM a moderator.

I salute D for standing his ground and salute those who helped him. I am disappointed with the repeated attack that Rewire mounted in the early part of this thread. I just read this through for the first time just now, and was amazed.

One person's definition of sidework may well be legal, licensed, insured work for profit, no different than a regular EC. A beginner EC just asked for some help, and was drowned out with misinformed malice, and that irritates the by-garsh out of me. That was my Ned Flanders statement of the day.