CA: handymen vs contractors

[Jeremy Lee]

Hey all,

Just wanted to clarify but in California if I have repairs that cost over $500 including parts and labor, I need to hire a licensed contractor to do the work. If it's under $500 (including parts and labor) I can just hire a handyman for the work.

I have repair work that needs to be done post water damage remediation in my kitchen, bedroom and dining area. This includes drywall/texturing/paint, re-hanging cabinetry, installing baseboards, replacing carpet padding and tacking/stretching carpet back in place, replacing an ice maker box valve, as well as painting (though we may just do this ourselves). I had a couple handymen come out who I don't think are licensed through the state of California, and both quoted well over $500 for the work to be done. I wouldn't want to hire these guys, even if they're offering lower prices, at the risk of either of us getting in trouble.

Is it probably a best bet just to avoid/pass up on going with these guys in favor of using a licensed contractor? So far all the quotes I've received have been between $1200-$1900 for the scope of work so this definitely isn't a $500 job.