What to ask before a contractor starts work in Conyers

The Georgia Secretary of State's contractor FAQ states that contractors need a license, where the term is defined in O.C.G.A. 43-41-2, the state law, as people who contract for or undertake construction for compensation. It adds that certain specialty trades, or work costing less than $2,500, do not need a contractor holding the state's contractor license. The FAQ does not say which trades those are.

State law also sets out how residential and general contractors are licensed. The text of O.C.G.A. 43-41-17, as posted by Justia, covers when that license is needed and the limits on incidental work done by trades that hold their own licenses. Justia is not the state's own site, so treat it as a pointer and confirm with the board.

Neither the FAQ nor the lookup mentions water damage, mold work or restoration. The state's pages do not say which license, if any, covers drying a house or removing wet drywall. A plain pair of questions fills the gap. Which Georgia license applies to this job? What name and number is it held under? The board can then confirm the answer.

The Secretary of State's web lookup, headed Welcome to Web Lookup/Verification, lets a visitor check an individual professional license by profession, license type, license number or name, with wildcard searches for partial names. It has separate links for filing a complaint against a license holder or against someone without a license. The tool is built for checking one person at a time, and the screen shows no phone number. If a company name does not turn up, ask for the name and number of the person holding the license.

Planning and Inspection Services handles permits and inspections for the city, and the city directory lists 770-929-4280. The permit list names building, electrical, plumbing and sprinkler, and HVAC permits at a $150 minimum each. The plumbing permit is described as required for installing and replacing fixtures and water and sewer lines, and the building permit covers repairs. Water damage is not mentioned. The inspections listing asks for at least half a day's notice for every inspection.

Rockdale County Planning and Development works from the first floor at 981 Milstead Ave, (770) 278-7100, with hours listed as 8 to 5 on weekdays. The county says permits are required for new construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair or demolition of structures, and may be required for installing, extending, altering or repairing electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems. Its inspections listing gives a turnaround of 48 hours from the request.

The listing shows both 981 and 958 for Milstead Avenue, so confirm the street number before driving over. Which office covers your address, the city's or the county's, is a question either one can answer.

Covington's building permit staff are reachable at 770-385-2046 and 770-385-2021, while 770-385-2020 takes planning and development questions. City Hall's address is 2194 Emory Street NW. The construction codes listing names the 2024 International Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes, with Georgia amendments, as well as the 2023 National Electrical Code and its 2026 Georgia amendments. It states no permit rules and no hours.

Lithonia's permit types are building, deck, roof, pool and spa, demolition, retaining wall, interior finish, remodeling and addition, and trade, and the page links a Permit Required Checklist. City Hall, at 6920 Main Street, 770-482-8136, keeps hours of 8 to 4 on weekdays, minus a daily closing from noon until 1 p.m. No fees are listed, and plumbing and electrical permits are not named, so ask whether a repair counts as trade work.

The City of Conyers says that to restore power to any building, the owner or tenant has to hire an electrician to perform an inspection. The electrician pulls an electrical permit and schedules the inspection, and the inspectors send a reconnect notice to the power company. CDC gives the same direction from the safety side: have an electrician check the electrical system before power goes back on.

Georgia's insurance commissioner suggests photographs or video before temporary repairs, every receipt for those repairs, and an early report of the claim. It adds that a claim can be denied if permanent repairs are made before the damage has been inspected. The NAIC suggests walking through each room to record your belongings. Georgia's emergency management agency notes that a standard homeowners policy leaves flood damage uncovered.

What your own policy covers is a matter for you and the insurer. A paper or phone folder with dates, photos and receipts makes that conversation easier.