Before you hire a restoration contractor in Georgia

Georgia's contractor license

Georgia licenses residential and general contractors under Title 43, Chapter 41 of its code. The law says no one may engage in residential or general contracting without a current residential or general contractor license, or a licensed qualifying agent for a company.

The definition of a contractor covers repair, alteration and remodeling as well as new construction. A residential contractor license is required once the value of a job, or the contractor's pay for it, passes a threshold set in the statute, so many restoration rebuilds fall under it.

Plumbing, electrical and conditioned-air (heating and cooling) work are licensed separately, under Chapter 14, and a general contractor cannot do that work without the matching license. After a leak, that usually means a licensed plumber for the pipe and, where wiring or HVAC was affected, the right licensed trade for those too.

Licenses are issued by the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors under the Georgia Secretary of State. You can check a license with the Secretary of State's online verification.

Sources: O.C.G.A. 43-41-17; O.C.G.A. 43-41-2; Georgia Secretary of State, Residential and General Contractors board. Statute text via FindLaw.

Mold work has no state license

The Georgia Department of Public Health says indoor air quality is not a regulated program and that mold inspection, testing and remediation have no enforceable state or federal standards. Ask a mold firm about its training and how it contains and checks the work.

Source: Georgia DPH, Indoor Air Quality

Questions to ask on the first call

• Do you handle drying only, or drying and the rebuild? If the rebuild, who holds the contractor license?
• Will a plumber or electrician be needed, and do you bring one in or should I?
• Do you carry liability insurance, and can you send proof?
• Will I get a written scope before work starts, and a moisture log while it runs?
• Who applies for any city permit the repairs need?
• How do you bill, and when is payment due?
• What will you remove, and why?

Permits in Atlanta and nearby

In the City of Atlanta, the Department of City Planning's Office of Buildings issues building permits and carries out inspections, and plumbing permits for new or replacement plumbing in one- and two-family homes can be filed online. Buildings in historic and landmark districts also involve the Office of Design. Neighboring cities have their own rules; Brookhaven, for example, requires a permit to replace drywall. The area pages list each city's permit office with a source.

Sources: City of Atlanta Department of City Planning; City of Atlanta, Apply for a Technical Permit; City of Brookhaven, Permit FAQs

Signs to slow down

• Pressure to sign on the spot, or to sign over insurance payments before you understand the paperwork.
• No written scope or a scope that only says "water mitigation".
• A request for most of the money before any work starts.
• Reluctance to share a license number or insurance certificate.