 | Art Bryan
is president and owner of Southwestern Remodeling Contractors, Inc. Art started Southwestern Remodeling Contractors in 1970. Southwestern is a fully-licensed residential and commercial licensed general contractor in Wichita and the surrounding counties. Art has been a member of the Wichita Area Home Builders Association and the National Remodel Council since 1974. In mid-2000 Southwestern received the distinction of being named one of the "Top 25 Most Diversified Remodeling Companies in the United States.” Southwestern is listed as the 84th Top Remodeler in the country by Qualified Remodeling Magazine. Art can be contacted at his office at (316) 263-1239, fax at (316) 263-6230, or you can e-mail him at ARTSWR@aol. Com |
Home Improvement
2002-08-01 10:34:00
Licensed-bonded-insured
: My contractor said he is licensed, bonded, and insured. What exactly does that mean?
Art Bryan
Question: My contractor said he is licensed, bonded, and insured. What exactly does that mean?Answer: First, here are the different licenses available through the City of Wichita: Class A General; Class B Building (commercial); Class C Residential; Class D Residential Maintenance; Roofing and Siding; Solar Heater Installer; Fire Sprinkler Installer; Swimming Pool; and Wrecking. Your contractor must hold one or more of these licenses in order to perform the specified work. Additionally, most of the incorporated cities around Wichita require contractors to be licensed in each of their cities (i.e. Derby, Newton, Haysville, Andover, etc..), as well as in the County.Second, bonded. This usually means that a contractor has purchased a "Surety Bond" from his insurance company. In the event a contractor fails to complete the work, the insurance company will pay up to "the surety bond amount" to have work completed. Third, and very important, is 'insured'. What kind of insurance? Maybe the contractor has his truck insured, and he says he is insured. Technically, he is right to say "insured". A contractor should have liability insurance in excess of $1 Million dollars. This would protect you in case, maybe, your house burns down as a result of the contractors negligence. The other form of insurance he must have is Worker's Compensation Insurance. This protects you in the event one of the contractor’s workers gets injured on the job. If no Workers Comp Insurance is carried, and one of the contractor’s employees falls off your roof, your Homeowners Policy could be responsible to pay. GET BOTH OF THESE 'PROOF OF INSURANCES' BEFORE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT!
