Every week, we hear about stories on fraud contractors. Nobody likes fraud contractors, and I’m sure you don’t like them too. No words can fully describe the frustration one feels ever time a remodeling project fails because of a fraud contractor.
The good new is, you can learn to snake out these fraud contractors and choose a competent one. You can avoid incompetent contractors and hire only the ones with better knowledge and experience of the project at hand. The knowledge will also allow you to take better control of how your home remodeling project is carried out so you can only get the best results.
For that reason, we want to give further advice for homeowners on how to avoid being scammed.
Be Alert after Bad Weather
Bad People will exploit a market that has a high demand. Businesses that are fraud will emerge fast as soon as wide-scale emergency repairs are on the rise. It is easy for them to manipulate desperate and helpless residents. T
Homeowners in San Antonio, TX have reported of being scammed after three severe hail storms have hit the area. A home insurance plan typically covers home destruction from severe weather conditions. The insurance company will refer you to a reliable contractor if these damages are claimed. On the other hand, people who choose to pay out-of-pocket should take extra caution before taking anybody’s services. Be sure the company you hire is local and has a solid reputation (google the business name and ask for references).
Don’t:
- Pick a company that does not have actual consumer reputation, and has newspaper or online classified advertisements.
- Trust a firm based on a random neighborhood lawn sign.
- Trust a firm without company signage on their clothing, or van.
- Follow through with a firm that forces you into a construction project.
Do:
- Read the reviews of their clients. Check the firm’s profile on trustedpros.ca.
- Confirm their trade licensing qualifications with the provincial trade government.
- Confirm their business license.
- Be very cautious with your disbursements
If your contractor has messed up a home improvement project or has gone totally missing, you have an alternative. If you have a terrible experience with your contractor, the article How to Deal With a Bad Contractor by U.S. News provides tips to minimize the damage in a few guidelines below:
“Document your attempts to reach the contractor. If your contractor left you in the lurch with a half-finished project and isn’t communicating with you, start recording your efforts to reach him or her. You may need this documentation later if you go to court or seek the help of a professional organization.
If you have leverage, use it. Not all handymen and women who do bad work are incompetent. Some just need encouragement to return and finish a job.
Seek help. Before getting too far into a contractor’s face, use your judgment. You may need to bring in someone with authority to help. And if you have given money to a contractor for supplies upfront, and you haven’t seen him for a while and suspect you never will, call the police. If they haven’t returned, obviously that’s theft.”
Here are more tips for you…
You can be aware of a local fraudster. He deceives his customers by making excuses that tugged at their heartstrings. Also, he will argue that he needed additional time for the work. The fraudster can convince the clients to pay for jobs that were never finished and pay for materials and equipment that never came.
Do:
- Request the contractor for business references, which will confirm the contractor’s trustworthiness on a professional point. It will aid you to know more about the individual you’re working with.
- Have everything recorded in print, such as the material’s receipts and labor hours. Ensure you have the contract’s signed copy. You can embark on an investigation into any concern as long as you have substantial evidence.
- Be incredulous about excuses. In the office setting, excuses for unfinished projects are treated seriously. The same goes for the construction field. Be prepared to investigate any unnecessary excuses that your contractor makes. Do not be scared to adopt a strong policy when you have had enough. It’s acceptable to hold back payments if a project is incomplete or if extensions are made.
- Set firm deadlines and payment regulations. Payment raises must be due for finished work. All employees are paid weekly (or bi-weekly) for their work. Workers are not paid before completing their work.
For further tips on how to deal with fraud contractors, the article How To Fight Back Against a Bad Contractor by House Logic handles this matter in a more legal way. Below are several ways to deal with this terrible experience:
“Fire the Contractor
Firing your contractor may seem obvious, but it’s not an easy step when things go seriously wrong. Your contractor could challenge the firing in court as a breach of contract: You must show that he breached the contractor agreement first.
Request a Hearing
Some construction contracts include a binding arbitration clause, where parties agree to resolve disputes by arbitration rather than in court. Arbitration is a relatively low-cost process in which each side presents its case to an independent authority, who makes a final decision.
Hire an Attorney
Hire a construction attorney who knows the ins and outs of state statutes and can find weaknesses in the contract. Unlike Better Business Bureau hearings, the contractor can’t opt out of a lawsuit.
If the contractor has disappeared altogether, you may be able to collect money from a state contractor recovery fund consisting of contractor licensing fees, or from a bond the contractor posted at the start of your project, which is required in some states.
File Complaints and Bad Reviews
A slew of websites allow you to post information about bad contractors, including Angieslist.com and Franklinreport.com (for certain cities). You can also file a complaint with your state contractor licensing board, which could make the information public if it receives enough complaints.”
We hope you learned a lot from this post. For further information about home remodeling, read through our other articles on the blog section of this site.