Orange County Business & Commercial Law Blog

The prevalence of earthquakes in much of California means that construction has to adhere to earthquake standards. These are designed to make buildings more resilient in the face of a quake than they would need to be elsewhere.

But is the goal to save the buildings themselves, allowing them to come through with minimal damage?

You have been doing construction for the last 15 years. You went to school for it and then spent years working for a local company. Now, you are ready to branch out and start your own construction business. You're tired of being an employee and you want to run things.

To help you get started, here are a few important tips from the U.S. Small Business Administration:

1. Look into your financing options. Maybe you saved up enough to start the company with the cash you have on hand, but most people look into loans and lines of credit. You do not want to drown in debt, but you often need money to start making money.
2. Find out what types of permits and licenses you will need. Make sure that your business is legally established.
3. Remember that it goes beyond a business license. You may need a specific tradesman license, depending on what type of work you intend to do.
4. Protect your company and yourself. Look into business insurance and find out what type of plan works best for you. Understand that this may change as the company grows.
5. Learn what regulations govern the construction industry as a whole. For instance, you may want to look into workplace safety standards and energy efficiency standards.
6. Find out what types of workers you will hire. Are you interested in working with subcontractors, contacting independent contractors, hiring your own employees or working with labor brokers?

When you hire a construction company, they give you a quote and you sign the contract based on their projections. They will tell you what they think the project will cost and how long they expect it to take. You review the details before you sign.

Many people assume that they're paying for exactly what is outlined in that quote. They sign because they like the final price -- or at least accept it -- and the time frame. Unfortunately, the reality is that most large projects take longer and cost more than those initial quotes.

Construction disputes are very common in California. With so much construction occurring throughout the state, there are bound to be issues between the parties on the contract. Whether it's residential or commercial construction, all those involved need to know how to resolve construction disputes. Here are some of the best ways to resolve construction disputes in Orange County.

A common method to resolving construction disputes is to have a hearing in front of a dispute resolution board. The boards are comprised of retired construction professionals who hear the dispute and then render a decision that must be followed based on language in the contract.