Many homeowners contract with unlicensed contractors for various reasons. Some are trying to save money, as the unlicensed contractor doesn’t pay any taxes or fees. Some just don’t how to check if credentials are real.
If you choose to have work done by someone who is unlicensed, you have very little recourse if things don’t go according to plan. If the contractor accidently gets hurt, he can sue your homeowner’s insurance or you, personally. If the job is done incorrectly, you cannot sue his insurance or bond, as there is no insurance or bond.
A good way to avoid get ripped off by unlicensed contractors is to check on the status of their license, insurance, workman’s comp and bond. This can be done very easily at the state L and I website. (https://fortress.wa.gov/lni/bbip/) The website also has other valuable resources for consumers, such as the ability to look up violations by contractors, instructions for hiring contractors, and help for when things go wrong.
Most states have similar websites with the ability to check out contractors, so if a contractor says he has doe business in another state, you can check that, too. For example, here is a ink to Virginia’s site