NV Landscape Contractor flashcards

31 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Nevada contractor license requirement

Under NRS 624, a person must hold a State Contractors Board license before bidding, contracting, or performing construction work for compensation on real property in Nevada.

License classification and limit

A Nevada license authorizes only the classification shown (for example a C specialty) and only up to the monetary limit assigned by the Board based on financial strength and experience.

Qualifying party

The individual who passes the trade and law exams and is named on the license. The qualifier must be actively involved, and the licensee must replace a departing qualifier within the regulatory period.

License number in advertising

Nevada requires the license number to appear in advertising and on contracts and bid documents, allowing the public and Board to verify license status and classification.

Residential recovery fund

A statutory fund that can reimburse homeowners for losses caused by a licensed contractor, but only after the claimant obtains a judgment or award and exhausts collection efforts, subject to caps.

Grounds for Board discipline

Abandonment, failure to complete work, diversion of funds, substandard workmanship, exceeding the monetary limit, and failure to pay subs or suppliers can lead to fines, suspension, or revocation.

Surety bond and workers' comp

Licensees must maintain a contractor's surety bond and workers' compensation coverage for employees (or an approved exemption). Lapse of either can trigger automatic license suspension.

Surface drainage slope

Grade soil to fall about 2 percent, roughly one quarter inch per foot, away from buildings for the first several feet, and route swales to a legal discharge point.

Matched precipitation rate

Heads on one valve should apply water at similar rates so the zone wets evenly. Mixing high- and low-output heads causes overwatering, runoff, and dry spots.

Hydrozoning

Grouping plants with similar water, sun, and soil needs on separate irrigation valves so each zone's schedule matches plant demand and soil infiltration rate.

Cycle and soak

Running a zone in several short cycles with pauses lets water infiltrate clay soils instead of running off, improving depth of wetting and reducing waste.

Root flare placement

Set the root flare at or slightly above finished grade and plant in a hole two to three times the root-ball width, backfilling with native soil unless a soil test calls for amendment.

Concrete slab thickness

Pedestrian flatwork typically uses a minimum four-inch slab; vehicle-loaded areas need five to six inches, compacted base, control joints, and proper curing.

Retaining wall drainage

Walls need drainage gravel, filter fabric, and weep holes to relieve hydrostatic pressure; walls above the local height threshold generally require engineered design and permits.

Cubic yard formula

Cubic yards equal length times width times depth in feet, divided by 27. Add a waste factor to the takeoff before ordering material.

Caliche in Nevada soils

A cemented calcium carbonate layer common in desert soils that resists water and roots. Rip, pierce, or over-excavate planting areas and provide drainage through it.

Mulch depth rule

Maintain two to four inches of mulch to reduce evaporation and suppress weeds, keeping mulch pulled back from trunks and stems to prevent rot and pest damage.

Written change order

A signed document describing added or deleted scope, price, and schedule impact. Work should not proceed on verbal changes, because unsigned changes complicate payment and lien claims.

Preliminary lien notice

On private Nevada work, a notice of right to lien is generally required within 31 days after first furnishing labor or materials to preserve mechanics' lien rights.

Gross margin formula

Gross margin equals revenue minus direct job costs, divided by revenue. Bid markup must exceed gross margin enough to cover overhead and net profit.

Working capital

Current assets minus current liabilities. The Board reviews working capital and net worth when setting the licensee's monetary limit.

Cash flow gap

The shortfall when payroll and material costs occur before progress payments arrive. Size a credit line to the largest expected gap between cash out and cash in.

Additional insured endorsement

A policy endorsement extending liability coverage to a project owner or general contractor. Verify subcontractor certificates and endorsements before allowing subs on site.

Diversion of funds

Using money paid on one project for unrelated expenses, leaving that job unpaid or incomplete. It is a disciplinary violation before the Nevada State Contractors Board.

OSHA focus four hazards

Falls, struck-by, caught-in or between, and electrical hazards account for most construction fatalities and are the core of jobsite hazard assessment.

Trench protective systems

Trenches five feet or deeper need sloping, shoring, or shielding unless in stable rock. A competent person inspects daily, and spoil piles stay two feet back.

Call 811 before digging

Nevada requires notifying the utility locating service before excavation, waiting the required period, and hand-digging near marked lines to prevent strikes.

Skid steer safety

Keep the ROPS and seat belt in use, sound the backup alarm or use a spotter, lower attachments before dismounting, and never carry riders in buckets or on attachments.

Heat illness response

Provide water, rest, shade, and acclimatization. Confusion, cramps, or stopped sweating signal heat illness; cool the worker and call for emergency help.

GFCI on outdoor tools

Portable electric tools used outdoors must be protected by ground-fault circuit interruption to reduce shock risk in wet conditions common to landscape work.

Pesticide label compliance

Applicators must follow label PPE, application rates, posting, and re-entry intervals, and keep safety data sheets available on the jobsite.