NV Landscape Contractor cheat sheet

License required: any person who constructs, alters, repairs, or improves a structure or appurtenance on real property for compensation must hold a Nevada State Contractors Board license before bidding or contracting; unlicensed contracting is a misdemeanor and voids the right to collect compensation.

License classifications relevant to landscape work: Class A (general engineering), Class B (general building), Class C (specialty, limited to a specific trade), and Class AB. Landscape contracting is typically a C-class specialty; a license covers only the classification and monetary limit shown on the certificate.

Monetary limit: the Board assigns a limit based on financial statement, working capital, and experience; bidding or contracting above the limit is a violation. Limits are set in tiers and can be raised by petition with updated financials.

Qualifying party: an individual must pass the trade and law exams and be named as the qualifier; the qualifier must be a owner, officer, or employee with active involvement. If the qualifier leaves, the licensee must notify the Board and replace the qualifier within the period set by regulation.

Bid and contract requirements: written contracts for residential work over $1,000 must include the Board's required notices (lien rights, cancellation, complaint procedure), and the license number must appear in advertising and on contracts.

Grounds for discipline include abandonment, failure to complete, diversion of funds, substandard workmanship, failure to pay subcontractors or suppliers, and contracting beyond the monetary limit; penalties include fines, suspension, revocation, and restitution.

Complaint process: the Board investigates written complaints; a homeowner may recover from the residential recovery fund only after obtaining a judgment or award and exhausting collection efforts, subject to statutory caps.

Workers' compensation and surety: licensees must maintain workers' comp coverage for employees (or an approved exemption) and a contractor's surety bond; lapse of either can result in automatic license suspension.

Slope and drainage rule: grade soil to drain away from structures at roughly 2% (about 1/4 inch per foot) for the first 6-10 feet; swales and French drains must daylight to a legal discharge point, never to a neighbor's property.

Irrigation hydraulics: flow (GPM) = head pressure and nozzle size determine output; total zone flow must not exceed the meter/valve capacity. Pressure above the design point requires a pressure-regulating valve or matched-precipitation heads to avoid misting and runoff.

Scheduling: group plants by hydrozone (sun/shade, water need, soil type) and set run times from plant water requirement, soil infiltration rate, and precipitation rate; cycle-and-soak prevents runoff on clay soils.

Planting: set the root flare at or slightly above grade, dig the hole 2-3 times the root-ball width, backfill with native soil, and amend only as soil tests indicate. Staking is temporary and ties must allow trunk movement.

Hardscape base: compact aggregate base in lifts (typically 2-4 inches) to 95% density; use geotextile over expansive or fine soils; slope pavers for drainage and follow manufacturer edge-restraint requirements.

Concrete: minimum 4-inch thickness for pedestrian flatwork, 5-6 inches for vehicle loads; control joints at intervals of roughly 2-3 times slab thickness in feet; cure 7 days and place on compacted, moistened base.

Retaining walls: walls over 4 feet (measured from footing to top) generally require engineered design and permits; include drainage gravel, filter fabric, and weep holes, and verify local jurisdiction thresholds.

Estimating: quantity takeoff by area (length x width) plus a waste factor (typically 5-10% for sod, 10% for plant material and pavers); convert cubic yards = (length x width x depth in feet) / 27.

Nevada climate factors: caliche layers require ripping or piercing; high summer heat and low humidity raise evapotranspiration, so mulch (2-4 inches, kept off trunks) and drip conversion reduce demand; follow any local turf-limitation ordinances.

Contract elements: scope, price and payment schedule, schedule of work, change-order procedure, warranty, dispute resolution, and required notices. Changes must be written and signed before work proceeds.

Lien law: Nevada allows mechanics' liens for labor, materials, or equipment; a preliminary notice (notice of right to lien) is generally required within 31 days after first furnishing labor or materials to preserve lien rights on private work.

Payment and prompt-pay: progress billing tied to completed work, retainage per contract, and written notice of disputed amounts. Track receivables and lien deadlines together; missing a notice deadline can extinguish lien rights.

Job costing: direct costs (labor, material, equipment, subcontractors) plus overhead allocation; gross margin = (revenue - direct cost) / revenue. Bid markup must cover overhead and net profit, not just direct cost.

Cash flow: compare the cash schedule to the work schedule; mobilization, material deposits, and payroll timing often create a gap. A line of credit sized to the largest gap protects operations.

Financial statements: the Board reviews balance sheet and working capital (current assets minus current liabilities); maintaining a positive working capital and net worth supports a higher monetary limit.

Insurance and risk: general liability, commercial auto, inland marine for equipment, and workers' comp; verify subcontractor certificates and use written indemnity and additional-insured endorsements.

Recordkeeping: retain contracts, change orders, payroll, lien notices, and job cost records for the period required by law and to defend Board complaints; separate business and personal funds to avoid diversion-of-funds allegations.

OSHA focus-four hazards: falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrical. On landscape sites, the leading exposures are trenching, equipment operation, and power-tool use.

Trenching: a trench 5 feet or deeper requires a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding) unless in stable rock; spoil piles and equipment kept at least 2 feet from the edge; a competent person inspects daily.

Excavation and utilities: call 811 before digging and wait the required period; hand-dig near marked utilities; keep the excavator's swing radius barricaded and never allow workers under a suspended load.

Equipment: ROPS and seat belts on tractors and skid steers; back-up alarms or spotters; shut down and lower attachments before dismounting; no riders on equipment not designed for passengers.

Heat illness: Nevada summer work requires water, rest, shade, acclimatization, and a written emergency plan; watch for confusion, cramps, and cessation of sweating, and cool the worker immediately.

Power tools and cutting: eye and hearing protection, guarding, GFCI protection for portable electric tools outdoors, and proper blade selection; fuel stored in approved containers away from ignition sources.

Chemical safety: follow label directions for pesticides and fertilizers (PPE, re-entry intervals, posting), keep SDS sheets on site, and never mix incompatible products.

Traffic and public protection: barricades, signage, and pedestrian routing around open excavations and equipment; high-visibility clothing near vehicle traffic; secure the site at the end of each day.