Utah General Contractors Benefit from Alliances

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If you are a Utah General Contractor and you have just received your license, you may need to find a way to obtain a steady income. While going from subcontractor is an exciting time, it can be a little intimidating. You are now responsible for the success of your company and you own income. One way to achieve this goal is to form alliances with businesses that may need projects completed on a frequent basis.

Real estate companies are often in need of general contractors. When a potential seller approaches a realtor, their property may need some work done before it is ready for sale. Often, the seller doesn’t have anyone in mind to complete these renovations and may ask the realtor for suggestions. The ability to have contact information for a reliable contractor helps the realtor sign more clients, and helps the contractor with a reliable source of income. Not all of these projects will be large, but it they may be enough if you are just starting out.

In addition to realtors, banks are another potential resource for work. With the fall of the housing market, there are many bank owned homes for sale. Some of these homes are in a state of disrepair and need to be maintained. Many local governments are considering passing laws requiring banks to maintain abandoned foreclosed properties, because of the health issues that are arising in particular neighborhoods.

With banks, you may be able to obtain a position of repairing and maintaining their properties. Some entrepreneurs have created successful businesses just repairing and caretaking bank owned properties. Taking advantage of a poor economy may seem strange, but it is a necessary function that will help improve the neighborhoods.

In order to find these types of alliances you will need to conduct some marketing. Networking, using social media sites and having a website are all different ways you can reach out to potential markets. Taking a marketing course may help you learn effective marketing strategies.

UTCLC can help with marketing and other continuing education classes. We can help you take the courses you need in a way that is convenient for you. Visit our FAQ  page to learn more.

Utah Contractor's License Center
5604 S Redwood Rd Taylorsville, UT, 84123 USA 
 • 800-400-2663

Approved Continuing Education with UTCLC

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Once you have been approved for a Utah General Contractor’s License, what comes next? While you have the opportunity to run your own business, your obligation to the state of Utah is not over yet. A licensing period is only two years, and during that time you need to take part in six hours of continuing education.

There are specific qualifications a contractor needs to meet with the continuing education requirement of license renewal. The requirement includes 3 hours of core courses and 3 hours of professional or core related courses. These courses need to be approved by the DOPL (Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing).

Core courses include material such as OSHA 10 or 30 Safety training, governmental regulations pertaining to construction, construction codes, and laws pertaining to construction, employee verification, and payment practices. These courses also need to be in a specific format in order to qualify.

Professional courses include information related to construction core courses. This information includes energy conservation, planning and zoning, land development, and/or land use. These courses can include business development courses such as marketing techniques, customer retention, bookkeeping, and finance.

These courses are more than just a way to fulfill your continuing education requirement. It is a way to help improve your business and increase your chance of success. A business owner should always be looking for a way to grow and learn new skills, this state requirement helps you to do this.

UTCLC can also help you with this requirement. With all of the obligations of a business owner, it is often difficult to find the time to take the courses you need to qualify. With the flexibility of online courses, you have the chance to study when you need to, whether its two o’clock in the afternoon during a lunch break or two o’clock in the morning when your family is asleep.

UTCLC has a variety of options available for different core and professional development courses to fit your needs. Go here http://www.utclc.com/continuing-education/ to learn more.

Utah State Licensing Requirements for Out of State Contractors

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If you are a contractor who has recently moved to Utah, you may be wondering how you obtain a Utah General Contractor’s License. While you may have the skills necessary to maintain a license in your home state, there are things that you need to know about a license in the state of Utah.

In order to qualify for a license in Utah, contractors need to have a combined four years’ experience, two supervisory and two general. A contractor also needs to have general liability insurance of approximately $300,000 total coverage.

Contractors also need to be able to pass two different exams: a business/law exam and a trade exam. Once a person obtains his or her license, they need to obtain 6 hours of continuing education every two years.

The two exams are both open book. The trade exam is a three-hour test comprising of 80 questions on the topics of drywall and finishing, safety, thermal and moisture protection, doors and windows, code, plan reading and estimating.

The business and law exam is a two-hour test of 60 questions. The topics included in the exam are project management, labor laws, financial management, risk management, tax laws, contract management, estimating and bidding, and lien laws.

The trade exams have reciprocity with the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and South Carolina. If you are from one of these states, you will have to take the business and law exam but not the trade exam. For the Business and Law exam, there is no reciprocity.

For both exams, an individual has to receive a grade of at least 70 in order to pass. If you fail one of these exams, you can take them again after a 30-day wait period. You have three attempts at these exams to provide you with an opportunity to pass and obtain your license.

If you want assistance in preparing for either of these exams, help is available. UTCLC offers test preparation services that will help you feel confident when scheduling these exams. Visit http://www.utclc.com/what-do-i-need/ to learn more.

Start the New Year Right with a New License

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It is time to stop procrastinating and start acting as a New Year dawns. If you have been working as a subcontractor for several years now and have considered starting your own general contractor business, perhaps now is the time to stop thinking and start acting.

Because of economic conditions, the construction industry has seen many changes over the last two years. Flexibility and adaptability are two watchwords to help individuals and companies succeed. Creating your own destiny with a Utah General Contractors License can help adjust to the changes that are occurring here and all over the US.

For some people, this fact stops many people cold. They are intimidated by having to pass a test in order to obtain a license. Perhaps you don’t test well, or you are afraid the test will be overly difficult. You need to find a way to build your confidence that it is possible to pass the test and get that contractor’s license.

Preparation is the best way to build that confidence. The ability to take sample tests and learn what kind of questions will be asked can help you to see that it isn’t impossible for you to succeed in this goal. It also helps when you can go over the information with someone who has experience and can help you see where your strengths and weaknesses may lay.

While you have been dreaming of becoming your own boss, you may not have considered everything that is involved in the new phase of your career. Obtaining a license is only one aspect of this dream. You will also have to create an entity and complete all of the paperwork the state requires.

On the other hand, perhaps you have looked into everything that is required in order to start a Utah General Contractor business and feel that it is just too much hard work. All that red tape and additional steps are going to get in way of doing what you do best. It is easier to keep things the way they are and work for someone else.

It doesn’t have to be that way. UTCLC can help you prepare for the test, and with our “No pass, no pay,” guarantee you can be assured we are as dedicated to your success as you are. We can also help you complete the paperwork to create your business and handle all the state’s red tape involved with a Utah General Contractor license. Visit http://www.utclc.com/faq/ today to see why there is nothing left standing between you and your dream of a new business.

Help Your Customers Save Energy and Money in 2012

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Winter is here and many customers will be seeing their new energy bills for the cold weather. For those who have older or inefficient homes, individuals may be looking for home improvements that can help cut costs. Energy audits are for more than those who want to protect the environment; it can also allow general contractors show individuals a way to save money.

Using new forms of energy, such as solar and wind power, can help protect the environment. Reducing the pollution produced by coal and gas will decrease the damage caused to birds and water life. It would also reduce the amount of drilling conducted, protecting environment, and water tables from accidental contamination. Energy audits, however, perform a different function for homeowners.

These audits help homeowners find out where their homes are vulnerable. They reduce the amount of warm air lost in the winter and the cool air lost in the summer. The result is a way to help furnaces and air conditioners work less but keep the home comfortable for inhabitants. Another result of weatherizing a home is a significant reduction in energy costs.

Like many remedies, weatherization is a holistic approach. An effective energy audit will show homeowners several different ways to make their home efficient. As a general contractor, you have the ability to offer individuals a whole home solution to save energy and money.

Performing energy audits takes some expertise. You need to be able to know the tests you need to perform on a home and how to interpret the results. You also need to be able to know how to calculate costs in order to create an accurate estimate for potential clients.

Often a customer will only have a partial idea of what they need. They will look to you in order to provide accurate answers. You need to have a thorough knowledge of energy saving solutions, tests, and products. Accurate training can help you gain the skills you need to perform this valuable service.

Taking a course in energy audits and home inspections will help you gain this expertise. Visit http://www.ahit.com/affiliates/utclc to learn about an energy audit course you can take online or on location to understand about home energy inspections. Then you can offer this valuable service to your clients to help them save money in the New Year, as well as create a new revenue stream for your company.

 

Contuing Education Helps Utah Contractors Build a Brand

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Brand management is an essential element of any successful business. Coca Cola, Nike, and many other companies have a brand and logo that are instantly recognizable.  Commercial companies and general contractors are not exempt from this foundation of marketing. Brand management is building a reputation. For general contractors, they are the image that needs to be marketed and carefully cultivated.

A general contractor who has his or her own business has an advantage large corporations don’t have. People buy from other people, and a company that can provide a human element can achieve a competitive advantage. For a small construction company, the owner of the company is the face of the organization, and this image can be groomed and enhanced over time.

A brand image is no different than a reputation. For a contractor, it is important to portray an image of experience, dedication, and skill in their field. Showing knowledge in construction is important when reviewing a potential project with a customer. This person wants to know that the contractor they hire will complete their project on time, on budget, and without destroying their property in the process.

A client also relies on a contractor to know the latest technologies and development in the industry. Some customers may have a firm plan for the project, but most want suggestions form a contractor on the best way to accomplish a task. The more experienced and confident a  contractor is when discussing plans with a client, the better the chance they will win a bid.

This is where continuing education can help a contractor build a brand. While licensed Utah contractors are required to have a specific number of continuining education hours, a contractor should understand this will help their business grow as well.

To prove you are an expert in your field, you need to become a lifelong learner dedicated to increasing your skill sets. UTCLC can help Utah contractors fulfill this need for knowledge. Contact us today to find out how we can help you maintain the edge in your field.

Offer Solar Services in the New Year

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Individuals are not the only ones who create resolutions for a New Year. Many businesses look at the end of an old year as a way to measure where they are and where they are headed. This review often includes a look at potential products or services they may offer customers. General contractors may want to consider offering solar services for 2012.

In 2010, the government approved Senator Sander’s bill that encourages green energy construction with a target of 10 million solar installations for residents over the next ten years. While this may seem a lofty goal with the state of the economy, state incentives and rising energy costs have many homeowners looking for alternatives. This fact, coupled with the increase of single and multi-family new construction, makes solar services a viable prospect.

For general contractors, offering multiple services helps increase the chance of winning a bid. With the interest of green energy on the rise, offering these services shows customers a business is in tune with current trends in their field.

Offering these services is not without its difficulties, however. Installing solar panels takes some training and expertise. It also means knowing the optimum location for solar panel placement, a task that varies from location to location.

Eagle View Technologies offers a 3D report that will help contractors determine optimum placement of solar panels and show clients their options in a way they can easily understand.

This report is beneficial for contractors who want to expand their services and offer installation of solar panels for new construction or existing dwellings. By taking information from roofers and solar installers, Eagle View was able to design this report for accuracy and ease of use.

Another useful resource for contractors is the database created by the US Department of Energy. Incentives and grants for green energy vary from state to state. Many homeowners are interested in alternative energy sources but have no idea what type of financial assistance may be available. The US Department of Energy has created a database containing all the information regarding energy assistance for each state. This resource can help general contractors inform their clients what options are available and help them understand what financial assistance they can receive to assist with construction costs.

Offering information regarding green energy to potential clients shows them how much a company cares about its clients, and that management is an expert in the field. You can help your clients and your company by attending continuing education classes. Contact UTCLC to find out how we can help you meet you goals for the New Year.