Licensing

Contractors must be properly licensed at all times that they are performing work.  This chapter explains what license you need, how you become properly licensed, and what happens if you are not properly licensed. 

Contracts

What a contract is and how it gets formed are fundamental to the construction industry. The terms that you should include in your agreements and what they mean, and the all important concept of breach, are discussed and explained. 

Insurance 

Insurance is critical to the contractor.  The different types of insurance policies, Additional Insured endorsements, self-insured retention, deductibles and the exclusions in your insurance agreement are explained.

Private Works Contracting

Preliminary Notices, Mechanic Liens, Stop Notices, Conditional and Unconditional Progress and Final Lien Releases, and how to protect and perfect your rights for each and the time limits that you have to do it.

Public Works Contracting

Prequalification to bid through the close out of the project, including Stop Notices, Bonding, and the all important Claim process, are discussed as they relate to projects for the State, UC, CSU and local public agencies.

Litigation

If you find yourself in a lawsuit then you need to know what to expect.  Litigation, the terms that you will hear, and the way that the process works including settlement and resolution procedures are explained.

Employment Issues

Independent contractors are not all they seem to be. Know when they are, and when they are not, independent.

OSHA

What to do when OSHA comes calling, what to expect when they are there and after they leave, and what to do if they find a problem and then cite you for a violation.

AND MORE...

CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION LAW IS COMPLICATED AND YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW IT MAY AFFECT YOU AND WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO...AND YOU WILL!