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Updated 10 months ago on . Most recent reply

User Stats

89
Posts
27
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Hannah Joy
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Eureka CA
27
Votes |
89
Posts

More value - contractor or architecture licensure?

Hannah Joy
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Eureka CA
Posted

Hi folks, looking into either contractor license or architecture license to support further real estate development. Which one has more quantifiable value in general? 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge! 

Most Popular Reply

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7,627
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4,161
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Karen Margrave
  • Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer
  • Redding, CA & Bend OR
4,161
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7,627
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Karen Margrave
  • Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer
  • Redding, CA & Bend OR
ModeratorReplied

Experience has more quantifiable value. Curious, why did you choose Architecture or General Contractor? 

As a moderator on BP for years, though I've been away for awhile, I've answered this question many times in one form or another. Ask yourself, what are you good at? What are your strengths? What is your experience in anything related to real estate, construction, development, etc.?  Developers are the ones that pull all the pieces together on a project, but even that's not set in stone. A developer can work with an end user on a project they want done, find agents to locate the land with proper zoning, location, etc. to support the type of project. Find architects or designers, engineers of all types, general contractor, etc. to design the project, and know how to keep the design where it's functional, cost effective, but has appeal. There's so many pieces to the puzzle. Developers can also do their own projects, and sub out all the different trades, etc. 

There are also a variety of skills that contribute to the development of a project. Sales, marketing, legal, etc. ALL of these things have value on a project.  Every state has different requirements, depending on the type of jobs. Some states you can do an open book test to be a contractor or a developer. Other states you have to be licensed for residential, but not commercial. 

What are your goals? What type of project would you like to develop? It may be working for another developer would have the most value, or a GC, Project Manager, etc.

  • Karen Margrave

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