What the B Class Means
The CSLB licenses Class B general building contractors for jobs that need at least two unrelated building trades. Its Fast Facts sheet says B is the most common license class in California, so you will meet one soon.
Three Ways a B Can Take Concrete
The CSLB lets a B take a prime contract for other trades, concrete included, in three cases. The contract has at least two unrelated trades besides framing or carpentry. Or the B holds the C-8 concrete license. Or the B subcontracts the concrete to a properly licensed specialty contractor.
Framing and carpentry do not count toward the two trades. A patio slab with a block wall, lighting and drainage fits the rule. A frame with a slab alone does not.
Where This Shows Up Here
A National City home often needs more than a slab. The curb, the sidewalk, the alley apron and the driveway may all move together. Add a block wall or a drain and you may have the two other trades a B needs. If the job is a lone driveway, the B should hold C-8 or hire a C-8 to pour it.
Who Runs the Job
With a B, you sign one contract. The B hires the C-8 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.
That helps when the city wants paperwork. The Engineering permit application asks for a bond of 100 percent of the cost estimate and a deposit. Put in the contract who posts both, and who pulls the permit.
B-2 Is Different
The B-2 Residential Remodeling class covers existing wood frame homes with at least three unrelated trades in one contract. It does not allow structural changes to load bearing parts. Concrete is not on its list of trades, so a B-2 alone is not a concrete license.
Street Work May Need a Class A
A Class A general engineering contractor may do concrete work that is part of fixed works like roads. Some cities want an A for work in the street. Ask National City Engineering which license your apron or sidewalk job needs.
What to Ask
Ask for the license number and look it up at the CSLB lookup, which shows every class the license holds. Ask for the name and license number of any sub who will pour. Get a written contract that names who does each part. Work over $1,000 in labor and materials needs a license.
Questions
Can a general contractor pour my driveway?
A Class B general contractor can run a driveway job when the B holds C-8 or hires a licensed C-8 to pour it.
Does framing count as one of the two trades?
No. The CSLB does not count framing or carpentry toward the two unrelated trades.
Does a B-2 license cover concrete?
No. Concrete is not on the B-2 list of trades. Ask what other classes the contractor holds.