Clear Creek owners still need to check state-licensed trades

Hiring for a remodel in Clear Creek County rewards a little care, because the county and the state do not police the same things.

Clear Creek County does not require a county license for general contractors. Colorado, meanwhile, does require plumbing and electrical contractors to be licensed through the state, with permit and inspection details handled through the state electrical and plumbing permit office. The general contractor and the trades inside the job answer to different authorities.

That changes the question a homeowner ought to ask. “Does the county license this general contractor?” leads nowhere, because there is no such license to check. Better to ask who will actually do the plumbing and electrical work, whether those people hold the state licenses their trades require, and whether the permits for them are lined up. Asking for references belongs in the same conversation.

Older mountain homes raise the stakes. Open up a wall for a small project and you can find wiring, plumbing, or heating that needs more attention than the job started with, all of it on the state-regulated side. Settling the permit plan before the work begins keeps a surprise from turning into a held-up inspection, a snag at resale, or a problem when the insurer asks how the work was done.