Hiring a General Contractor for Concrete in Escondido

A B general contractor can legally run your concrete job in Escondido. The B just needs the C-8 concrete license, a job with other trades, or a licensed C-8 sub for the pour.

Who Is a B Contractor

The CSLB calls Class B the General Building license. It is for building structures that give shelter and enclosure, and the work usually needs at least two unrelated trades. The state says it is the most common license class in California, so many contractors who bid your Escondido patio or driveway will hold it.

Three Ways a B Can Take Concrete

The CSLB lets a B take a prime contract for a trade like concrete in only three cases.

1. The job has two or more other unrelated trades. A driveway that comes with a room addition, drainage and a block wall is one example. Framing and carpentry do not count toward the two.
2. The B also holds the C-8. Then the B can do the concrete with its own crew.
3. The B hires a licensed C-8. The B runs the job and a concrete specialist does the pour.

A concrete only job, like a plain driveway, is fine from a B in the second or third case.

What You Get With One Contract

With a B you sign one contract and deal with one person. The B coordinates the C-8 sub and any others, such as electrical, masonry, grading or landscape, and answers to you for the whole job. A backyard slab with lighting, a block wall and a drain is a good fit.

Where Escondido Adds a Wrinkle

A new driveway or curb cut in Escondido goes through city Engineering, at (760) 839-4651, and the encroachment permit lists $300,000 in liability coverage for driveway and sidewalk work. The CSLB says a Class A general engineering contractor handles fixed works like roads, with the related earthwork and concrete. So for the part in the street, ask Engineering which license it wants before you sign.

Clay soil near the city moves, so a B who coordinates a C-8 should also say who checks the base under the slab. Put it in the contract. See the permit guide for the rest of the city rules.

What to Ask Before You Sign

• The license number. Look it up on the CSLB lookup, which lists every class the license holds.
• Whether the B holds C-8 or hires one.
• The name and license number of any sub.
• A written contract that names who does each part of the job.

A Note on B-2 and Small Jobs

A B-2 Residential Remodeling license is narrower. It is for existing wood frame homes, needs at least three unrelated trades in one contract, and concrete is not on its list of trades. The $1,000 rule for unlicensed work does not help a bigger job. See the license check guide.

How We Fit In

We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The contractor who contacts you may hold a B, a C-8 or both, so run the checks above. Start a free estimate.

Common Questions