As a Contractor, you spend your days bidding on jobs, communicating with customers and doing your best to ensure you deliver a job well done. Whether you are a Handyman or a General Contractor who tends to take on large-scale projects, Contractor Classes are something that should be on your agenda. Here is a look at a few things you can learn in Classes designed to revolutionize your business.
Learn About Current California Laws
Because your construction business is treated as a Legal Business Entity with the State of California, there are a lot of Laws and Regulation that you need to know. A few of the general areas of Law that you should be highly familiar with include:
- Laws that outline what work you need specific Licensing to perform (many of them are unique).
- Laws that outline how you handle and pay your Employees and Sub-Contractors, including whether you need to utilize Workers Comp Insurance or not.
- Laws that outline the type of Contract you use, and the ways you work under the context of that Contract.
There are also Civil Laws and possibilities for a civil lawsuit with your construction business. For example, if a Client is unhappy with your work or bill after completion, they could take you to court and sue you for reimbursement of money they have already paid. Payment disputes are actually the number one reason Contractors get sued. You need to know how to protect yourself.
At Golden State Contractors School, you have access to Classes and Workshops that give you a general overview of the Laws of the State that affect your business and how it operates. This knowledge ensures you operate your business within the Laws and Regulations in place in California.
Learn How to Better Manage Your Business
Besides just the Trade itself, there is a lot that goes into managing your own business as a Contractor. You are faced with some of the usual tasks that any other business is faced with, including things like:
- Payroll, Wages & Workers’ Compensation Insurance
- Business Licenses and Taxes
- Specialized Legal Documents and Contracts
- License Bonds & Business Insurance
- Business Structure options
It is a big mistake to only focus on the Trade part of your business without real knowledge of business operation. For example, if you are not familiar with Workers’ Compensation Insurance and an Employee of yours gets hurt on the job, you could face a major financial blow to your business (lawsuits, work comp fraud charges, penalties and possible License revokation).
The more equipped you are with knowledge about running your business, the less likely it will be that you run into problems that can be costly and threatening to the livelihood of your business. By taking the GSCS Business Workshop or Law Classes, you can get in-depth knowledge on the informational tools you need to maintain the health of your business model.
Learn New Skills to Offer
Perhaps your construction business focuses primarily on Remodeling, Plumbing and Electrical projects. Still, you might like to grow your knowledge base so you have more services to offer your customers. We offer specialized courses for Additional Classifications in things like:
- HVAC systems
- Fencing
- Flooring
- Tile
- Roofing
These courses are offered as standalone Classifications, or Add Ons that will give you valuable tools you can use to grow and evolve your business into something more. After all, the more Trade skills you have under your belt, the more jobs you are qualified to take on as a California Contractor.
All in all, the more educated you are as a Contractor, the more successful your business can be. What you learn at Golden State Contractors School will affect everything about how you do business for the better. If you would like more information about becoming a Licensed Contractor or taking Law & Business Refresher Classes or Specific Business Workshops, we are always ready to help you get to the next level.
