It is one thing to want to save money, but when it comes to home improvements this is not the area where you should practice penny pinching. Trying to save money with an unlicensed contractor is a horrible idea, one that will not only cost you more money in the long run but will also give you a lot of headaches and increased stress.
An unlicensed contractor may very well be fully capable of completing the job, but you may run the risk that a home improvement project will not be completed per proper coding. Why would you want to trust in unlicensed contractor who has not put forth the effort and money required to obtain a license?
Hiring a licensed contractor will at least give you peace of mind if something was to go wrong because you will be able to take legal action towards them. If you hire an unlicensed contractor you may not be able to do this, which means you may be out of the lot of money. Licensing, bonding, and insurance requirements exist to protect you, the consumer. It will also allow you to know that the contractor cares enough about his business and is knowledgeable enough to pass the state licensing exam.
By hiring an unlicensed contractor you are not necessarily breaking any laws, but you do want to check with your state contracting laws are if you’re going to do this. On the other hand, the contractor is definitely breaking the law by not being licensed.
If you choose to go against this advice, make sure you read all you can about consumer protection and ensure that the contractor has insurance. Again, in the event something goes wrong during the project and is the contractor’s fault, at least you will have peace of mind that the insurance will pay for any problems.
In the end, by hiring a licensed contractor who is bonded and insured you will know that your project will be completed exactly how you want it. In the long run, thinking that you are saving money with an unlicensed contractor may actually not be true. Save yourself a lot of heart aches by ensuring your contractors properly licensed.