Hiring a Class B Contractor for Concrete in Vista

A Class B general contractor can run a concrete job in Vista. The state board allows it in three ways, and the street end of a driveway adds one more question.

What the Board Says About a B

Class B is the General Building license. The board says it covers structures for shelter and enclosure, work that needs at least two unrelated building trades or crafts. It is the most common license class in California.

A B may take framing or carpentry work by itself. For other trades, concrete included, the board lets a B take the contract if one of three things is true.

• The contract has at least two unrelated trades besides framing or carpentry.
• The B holds the specialty license, which is C-8 for concrete.
• The B hires a properly licensed specialty contractor for that trade.

Framing and carpentry do not count toward the two trades.

Why a Homeowner Might Like It

When one contractor runs the job, you sign one contract and call one person. The B coordinates the C-8 contractor and the other trades, such as electrical (C-10), masonry (C-29), earthwork and paving (C-12) or landscape (C-27). The B answers to you for the whole job.

Think of a backyard with a new slab, a block wall, lights and a drain. That is a job with several trades, and a B can run it from start to finish.

A Driveway and Nothing Else

For a plain driveway pour, the B must hold C-8 or hire a licensed C-8 contractor to pour it. Either is fine. The B-2 Residential Remodeling class is a different license. It is for existing wood frame homes with at least three unrelated trades, and concrete is not on its list.

The Street End in Vista

The apron and curb are public right of way, and Vista needs an encroachment permit for work there. The city names the license types allowed to trench, and a B or a C-8 is not on that list. The board says a Class A General Engineering license covers fixed works like roads and utilities, with related earthwork and concrete, and some cities want an A for street work.

So ask the B who will cover the apron, and whether that contractor will work as a subcontractor. Our Vista permit guide lists what the city asks for.

Four Things to Ask

• What is your license number, and what classes does it list?
• Do you hold C-8, or who will do the concrete?
• What are the names and license numbers of your subs?
• Will the contract name who does each part?

Look up each number on the board's online license check. It shows every class a license holds. More steps are in the contractor check guide.

Questions