This past week, 28 unlicensed contractors in Monterey, California were ordered to appear in court on charges of contracting without a license, for advertising violations and for demanding excessive down payments.

This action was the result of a sting operation by The Contractors State License Board Statewide Investigative Fraud Team and aided by the Monterey Police.  The unlicensed contractors could receive a jail term of 6 months or a fine.

News stories like these highlight the need for consumers to be selective in their choice of commercial painting contractors and house painting contractors. If a painting contractor doesn’t bother to get a business license, what other shortcuts do you suppose they take?  A choice to be dishonest in one area is just a symptom of deeper character flaws.

All reputable commercial painting contractors will be happy to provide their license number and proof of liability and workers comp insurance.  So protect yourself and ask!

Technorati Tags: Commercial Painting, Painting Contractors

Kudos to communities like Casper, WY who invest in training the future generations of tradespeople, in this case classes to train students in commercial painting.

From a June 15 article in the Casper Journal:

Smiles appeared often beneath safety goggles as painting students worked outside on a sunny spring afternoon.

In paint-smeared work clothes, they talked about the job at hand and things they had in common.

They had a lot to smile and talk about that day because they soon would be graduating from the commercial painting class at Casper College’s Center for Training and Development (CTD).

It is the start of a new career for Julie Galloway, Janell Thomas, Aaron Underwood and Bobby Jolly, four parents who plan to use their new skills to help support families.

It a great service to the community to create programs like this that will develop skills that will keep young people in the community by giving them an opportunity to gain trade experience or even to become a business owner as a commerical painting contractor one day.

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, Commercial Painting