Residential Carpentry is an expensive classification code for a builder. For example, in South Carolina, one carrier’s current rate for Residential Carpentry is $19.51 per $100 or payroll but their rate for interior trim is only $11.26 and their rate for wallboard is only $10.21. The technical rules published by the National Council On Compensation Insurance which most insurance carriers follow say that all carpentry including framing, siding, interior trim, roofing, wallboard, and hardwood floor installation when performed by a general contractor at a worksite must come under the residential carpentry class code. Furthermore, the governing classification rule is responsible for dumping inside cleaning and yard debris removal into the residential carpentry classification in most cases.
While it may not seem to make much sense, these are the rules and the carrier does have the power to enforce them. However, some carriers or self insurance funds follow what I call the common sense rules and will allow a breakout of the less expensive class codes to be used such as interior trim, wallboard, janitorial, and debris removal. Depending on the type of work that you’re performing with your employees or uninsured subs, such exceptions could result in a big savings.