Contractors snared in sting operation in Truckee
For the first time, the California Contractors State License Board and the Nevada State Contractors Board teamed up this week in a joint enforcement operation on both sides of the state line. Particular attention was paid to people who crossed the state line to illegally bid on jobs.
The effort began Thursday with an undercover sting operation at a pair of neighboring cabins in Truckee. Members of CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team led the sting by posing as owners of the cabins, getting bids for various improvement projects including landscaping, painting, and flooring. Those who bid more than $500 for labor and materials were issued a notice to appear in court.
Thirteen NTAs were issued for contracting without a license and related violations including illegal advertising and requesting an excessive down payment. Six of the 13 were issued to residents of Nevada. One of those six is a Nevada-licensed contractor. CSLB investigators received more than $86,600 in illegal bids during Thursday’s sting, with three of the bids for at least $12,000.
California law requires any home improvement job valued at $500 or more for labor and materials be undertaken by a California-licensed contractor. California and Nevada have a reciprocity agreement, making it easier for contractors licensed in one state to get a license in the other.
California law also requires advertisements for home improvement contracting services to include the California contractor license number. Those who perform jobs valued at less than $500 are allowed to do so in the state of California, but their ads must state that they are not a California-licensed contractor. In California a down payment for home improvement work cannot total more than 10 percent of the contract or $1,000, whichever is less.
Sweep operations will also take place on both sides of the state line today.
The following suspects who received NTAs are scheduled to be arraigned in Nevada County Superior Court facility in Truckee on July 18:
|
SUSPECT NAME/CITY |
AGE |
WORK CLASS |
VIOLATION |
|
Richard Mark Russell Reno, NV
|
49 |
Flooring |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Ildefonso Colmenero Kings Beach, CA
|
33 |
Earthwork and Paving |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Benjamin Munoz Truckee, CA
|
39 |
Landscaping |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising, illegal advertising, soliciting excessive down payment |
|
Edgar Ramon Solorio Zaragosa Truckee, CA
|
29 |
Landscaping |
Contracting without a license |
|
Jorge Fernando Pena-Campos Reno, NV
|
49 |
Painting |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Jeffrey James Drake Truckee, CA
|
50 |
Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Michael David Durfee Reno, NV
|
42 |
Painting |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising, soliciting excessive down payment |
|
Aleta Jeanine Renteria Reno, NV
|
46 |
Painting |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising, soliciting excessive down payment |
|
Steven Gregory Snider Reno, NV
|
54 |
Landscaping |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising, failure to carry workers’ compensation |
|
Matthew Nestore Williams Truckee, CA |
29 |
Painting |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Tomas Prochzka Truckee, CA |
34 |
Landscaping |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Donald L Otto Sparks, NV |
61 |
Painting |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
|
Bradley John Allen Moran Soda Springs, CA |
38 |
Landscaping |
Contracting without a license, illegal advertising |
Thanks for the article and thanks also for printing some names, though it doesn’t appear that any of them are on our side of the lake.
It’s tough enough for local contractors to make a living, what with the economic conditions today, but having to bid against illegals and unlicensed “contractors” who don’t have to pay for licenses, taxes, insurance, etc and figure those into their bids is a constant aggravation. I think if the authorities hit up the south shore they’d have an even bigger haul!
They should be more active in trying to catch unlicensed contractors.
It’s about time! These people need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I have had numerous dealings with one of these unlicensed service providers for flooring and while the outcome was (just) okay, I felt that the provider was unscrupulous in terms of business practices. I have learned my lesson and will always hire licensed/bonded contractors in the future.
Get a life and let the poor bloats work.
Too bad that you printed this sting before you did it here on the South Shore, now all the Illegals will be prepared, it’s time to rid this basin of all of the SCABS
I’ve used both licensed and unlicensed contrators for many years. I research who I hire and have never had a problem. Licensing for smaller contractors is just another tax by the State.
Years ago, my mother had work done after a huge and destructive winter. All of the local contractors had been snapped up and her insurance company sent someone to do the work….not licensed or bonded in California….what a nightmare. The work was slipshod and faulty and did about $60,000+ more damage to the house from her new roof. They used “Chicken Coop” shingles and no insulation. The painter painted around the furniture and didn’t have a tall enough ladder, so he didn’t paint what he couldn’t reach. The painter also slept in the driveway. Mom had never had any work done and Dad had just passed away so she was handling this herself. When we bought the house from Mom about six months later we found all of the infractions. We were told that they were responsible for five other homes in the basin being in the same condition as ours. Fortunately, I had worked for a Superior Court Judge, before I moved up here to Tahoe, and he gave me a simple phrase to use in all of my correspondence. We were able to retrieve Mom’s/Our home and put things right after a year of negotiation. Make sure you have a legitimate person or company working for you….it takes a lot of time and energy to untangle the mess.
It’s really not rocket science to get a license, so very telling if someone doesn’t have one. One exception is “Handyman work”:
California Business And Professions Code BPC Section 7048
This chapter does not apply to any work or operation on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts, the aggregate
contract price which for labor, materials, and all other items, is less than five hundred dollars ($500), that work or operations being considered of casual, minor, or inconsequential nature.
This exemption does not apply in any case wherein the work of construction is only a part of a larger or major operation, whether
undertaken by the same or a different contractor, or in which a division of the operation is made in contracts of amounts less than five hundred dollars ($500) for the purpose of evasion of this chapter or otherwise.
This exemption does not apply to a person who advertises or puts out any sign or card or other device which might indicate to the
public that he or she is a contractor or that he or she is qualified to engage in the business of a contractor.
I have used both, and been lucky, and not lucky when using unlicensed. (not to say you can’t have trouble with licensed too, but your better protected).
Much better work overall with licensed, get at least a couple bids, and you’ll probably come pretty close to the non-licensed person, if not, you need to ask yourself how they could possibly do the job for so much less.
tahoeadvocate and others: many people seem to be under the impression that their homeowner’s insurance will cover any worker injured while working on their property. Let me assure you that is a loophole that most, if not all insurers have closed by now.
That is the reason for hiring only a licensed contractor, even with that, you need to make certain that their worker’s compensation policy is current. Yes, licensed work is definitely more expensive. However, a lawsuit filed by an injured worker can be even more expensive. Your choice, whether you want to take the chance.
Re Billie Jo Mcafee’s comments:
What is the magic “simple phrase”?
This is awesome. These people should be punished. Unfortunatly they will get fined and continue working. Local people we need to support our local Contractors who were intellegent enought to get licensed and in the long run you will get better quality work because of that. If I see another work truck in the Truckee area with a Nevada State License plate I’m going to have to scream!
Responding on the” X local “comment for your information there are 13 caught and 8 are white people …. You guys do crooked things as well…… Watch before you speak…It does not matter what nationality they are they should all be licensed. Don’t be so racist…
They did a sting here in south shore also.
Loving it as a legal contractor with workers comp.
Hey competition, yes you who has a contractors license but no workers comp and you have employees. At least do not advertise! Stop rubbing our noses in it!
However the $500 limit should be raised higher! People should have a right to work on smaller projects. Enough work to go around if your good at what you do.
Hey locals, ask your landscape contractor if he has workers comp for those employees. One competitor just cost me $400 on bid and he has employees for years. Your not invisible so play fair
Do all the locals a Giant Favor,when these mega million dollar projects come to town,Do you think it be too much trouble to Hire the natives here in this town instead the out town companies.
Have worked in Tahoe for 10 years and have always been on the up and up with our customer. We where unlicensed for years but followed the $500.00 rule. Let be serous for a minute. When some one do’s a great job its a great job and when it bad its bad. Licensed or not. I have noticed in this forum that people are calling Unlicensed people scum and get them out of my Town. WOW we are all on the same team.