How To See If Home Builder Is Licensed in South Carolina
Boerner Construction walks you through the ins-and-outs of how to see if a home builder is licensed in South Carolina, as well as the required building permits for building your dream home. Use the South Carolina licensee lookup to give you peace of mind about working with trustworthy contractors.
how to verify a licensed home builder in South carolina?
Step 1: In South Carolina, go online to the Residential Builders Licensee Lookup to verify that your residential home builder is licensed with the South Carolina Labor Licensing Regulation (LLR).
Step 2: Enter the home builder’s company name or first and last name (or both) on the SC contractors license lookup, and press the “Find” button.
Step 3: Run your South Carolina contractor license search and if your home builder is licensed, you’ll see a pop up box on your screen that lists the name of licensee (usually the business owner), along with their “Associated Businesses.”
Step 4: Confirm the business name and/or owner’s name of the home builder you are considering.
Step 5: Check the “Status:” of the License. If the status reads “ACTIVE,” your home builder is a licensed home builder in South Carolina.
Step 6: Check the “License type:" to confirm that your contractor is licensed as “Home Builders.” Note: The tool also works for a SC general contractor license lookup.
Additional Steps: You can also assess your home builder’s license expiration date, whether a bond is in place on file expiration, and any History of Board Public Actions.
is there a way to verify commercial contractors in south carolina?
Yes. Go online to the Commercial Contractors Licensee Lookup, on the South Carolina Labor Licensing Regulation (LLR) website. There you can verify that your commercial builder is licensed in South Carolina. Then, follow the steps above, and check out the Complete Guide for How to Find a Custom Home Builder in your area.
do i have to hire a licensed contractor for construction and renovation in South carolina?
Yes. The South Carolina Contractor’s Licensing Act mandates general and mechanical construction to be performed by a licensed contractor in Section 40-11-30. There is an owner-builder exception in Section 40-59-260 of the Chapter, that allows a home owner to act as his own builder, even though they do not have a license; however the homeowner must still apply for a building permit under the exemption to the law. Additionally, the owner builder cannot sell or rent the established structure for a period of two years after construction, cannot give access to the general public to the structure in question, and may not hire an unlicensed person as a specialty contractor at any point during the build.
Complete Guide to Hiring a Custom Home Builder
can i take out a permit to perform construction on my own home?
Yes. A South Carolina homeowner can perform construction on his own residence after applying for and obtaining a building permit with the local permitting agency. The owner must personally appear and sign the building permit application, after which the local city/county permitting agency will provide a disclosure statement. Here is a summary:
1) Your permit is authorized with an exemption to South Carolina Code of Laws, Chapter 59 Article 1, to act as your own builder even though you do not have a license.
2) You must supervise the construction yourself, and build or improve on a one-family or two-family residence.
3) The building must be for your own use, and cannot be sold or rented for two years following its’ construction.
4) During construction, you may not hire an unlicensed person as your residential builder or specialty contractor.
5) Your construction must comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, building codes, and zoning regulations.
6) You must file a notice with the register of deeds, indexed under the owner's name in the grantor's index, stating that the residential building or structure was constructed by the owner as an unlicensed builder.
Any failure to follow these steps will revoke the statutory exemption. You’ll also want to consider where you should live during your home build.
do i need a permit to build a shed in South carolina?
Yes. You must obtain a building permit in whatever city of South Carolina your construction will be done, for any structure that is larger than 200 square feet including fences, decks, sheds, garages, roofing, siding, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Building permits are necessary for any construction that:
1) builds a new structure
2) alters or adds to an existing building
3) renovates or demolishes an existing structure
do i need to get a building permit on my own if I’m hiring a custom home builder?
No. You should require your custom home builder to acquire the building permit. Also, make sure the home builder you choose is licensed and bonded. Do not acquire a building permit in your name, unless you want to become responsible for the construction on your property.
where do i get a building permit in South carolina?
Visit the South Carolina Information Highway for information on your county, city, or town building permit offices in South Carolina.
Boerner Construction is a Custom Home Builder in Upstate SC
“We chose Boerner Construction to build our retirement home and we could not have made a better choice. Kyle, his team and subcontractors are a group of talented, hard working individuals, and the quality of work exceeded our expectations. Kyle and crew provided quality work and met timelines promptly. Communication was made easy through the website, which provided weekly pictures and updates. The entire crew maintained a positive attitude and were very friendly, which made for a pleasurable experience. Kyle is driven to please his customers and it shows in the quality of his work detail. I would highly recommend Boerner Construction to anyone looking to build their dream home.
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