Hi All,
First, let me thank everyone who responded regarding the lawsuit against me for inadequate supervision of a contractor. I will update when there is a final outcome, provided they allow me to send messages from jail or the poorhouse.
I have a new question. A friend of mine is thinking of relocating to California, and plans to buy houses, fix them up, and sell them. I told him I’m not sure if it’s legal to act as your own contractor if you don’t have a license. Can anyone explain the regulations to me? Here in MA, a homeowner can pull a permit for construction projects on their own home without a license. Also, do you need to be a registered architect to draw plans (in CA), or is it ok if an engineer does the stamped structural part and and non arch designer does the rest (floor plans, elevations, etc).
Thanks
David Hornstein
Light House Design
Replies
The simple answer is yes, you can act as a general contractor and hire your own subs as long as permits are taken out as "Owner-Builder". As far as drawing plans, you can do them yourself, but local architechts, designers and draftsmen have a much better understanding of what the city plancheck engineers want to see on the drawings. It's worth it, in most cases, to pay to have this done. However, if you're just adding a small single story family room or bathroom, you can sketch the plans up yourself and the city usually has guidelines for standard construction that can be followed.
A state licenced structural engineer will be required for any multi-story work.