Remodeling Contractor Scams – Buyer Beware
By Steve Frick

It never fails; when the economy slows, the scammers seem to come out of the woodwork just waiting for their next “easy mark”. Here are some tips that will help you avoid being the next victim and assure that your remodeling project goes smoothly.

1: Only work with contractors who are licensed, bonded and insured. While many contractors may have a license, it is surprising at how many are operating with no worker’s compensation and liability insurance! This issue cannot be overstated. More on insurance below…

2: Do not work with anyone who asks for large “up front” deposits at the contract signing. California law (where we are based) regulates how much a contractor can receive before work begins. For California, the maximum at contract signing is $1,000 or 10% of the contract price whichever is less. Your state may be different so check with your license board.

3: Make sure the company you are considering has been in business for years (not months). Due to the low barriers to entry in the construction industry (i.e. a truck, some tools, pass the exam and “voila” they are a general contractor) people come and go quickly; especially when the economic winds change. You want to know that whoever you entrust your project to; they will not only complete the job, but be there for you down the road should there be any issues or concerns..

4: Check with the Better Business Bureau. This a great resource for checking on contractor credibility. There is an annual fee to belong to the BBB (albeit a nominal one); but if a contractor does not belong the BBB, you will want to tread carefully.

5: Check with the Contractor’s State License Board to make sure their license is active and see if they are currently bonded and insured.

6: Worker’s Comp Insurance: This insurance is mandatory in the state of California however, this does not deter many “fly by night” operations from conducting business without it. This insurance protects the workers in the event of an injury. More important to you: This insurance protects you in the event a worker is injured: If the contractor does not have insurance, the injured person will undoubtedly go after the homeowner for injuries sustained (always consult an attorney for legal advice).

7: Liability Insurance: This protects your home in the event of theft or damage to your property during the project. No liability insurance, no protection for you the homeowner. For example, you are doing a bathroom remodel and the plumber is soldering the new water lines: He gets careless and starts a fire. Without contractor liability insurance, who gets stuck with the bill? You guessed it!

In closing, there are many fine, honest and ethical contractors out there… just want to make sure you find one of them. It is important to note that “You Get What You Pay For”. There is a price for the safety and security of working with a larger, more reputable company (no low-ball estimates)… in apples for apples bids, the un-insured contractors working out of the back of their truck will give you great pricing up front. The real question for you is “is it worth the risk”?

If this article has been helpful and you would like more information on our remodeling services, please visit our website at http://www.pdremodelingsandiego.com

For a free estimate, simply call us at (858) 560-0444 or send us an e-mail at sfrick@pdr-sd.com. We will be happy to give you a free consultation. We service all of San Diego County

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Frick

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Avoiding a Roofing Contractor Or Roofing Company Ripoff
By Eric Tishaw

HOW TO AVOID A ROOFING CONTRACTOR SCAM

The easiest way to avoid a roofing contractor scam is to do your research first. Many roofing contractors will swoop in from out of town, purchase a local phone number, and then leave when the work is gone and once they have your money. Make sure the roofing contractor you are considering has been around awhile – the longer the better! Also – make sure your roofing contractors have a solid reputation for integrity and reliability.

Find out if your roofing contractor is a good choice by checking with the local Better Business Bureau, and see if they are a member. This will give you a good idea of how long they have been around, and will indicate whether or not they are just here for now and will be gone when there is a problem. Also, you can call your local county and city and run a check for their license as you want to make sure you are working with a licensed roofer contractor.

HOW TO DETECT A RIP-OFF ROOFING COMPANY

If a roofing company is ready to roof tomorrow, there is a good chance they are ripping you off. Ask them where they are getting their roofing supplies and call the supplier and find out how long they have been ordering from them (The longer, the better). If they are new roofing company and have no history in your area, be wary as they could be trying to capitalize on the business to make a quick buck. This means less quality roofing work for more money in most cases. Again, doing your research will help avoid a rip-off when considering roofing company’s.

WHAT TO ASK ROOFING COMPANIES BEFORE HIRING THEM

Below is a list of questions to ask roofing companies before you make a choice on who to hire:

- May I have a list of references from some of your past roofing jobs?

- How long have you been in the roofing companies business?

- How many leaks have you had reported this year from roofs you installed?

- Do you have any complaints filed with the BBB (this you can verify yourself as well)?

- How long is your roofing companies warranty and what does it cover?

- What is your time frame?(you want them on and off your roof in a week’s time or less)

In regards to clean up: Is it your responsibility, or theirs? Do they run a magnet to pick up loose nails? Do they clean up scrap shingles or metal roofing?

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN ROOFING CONTRACTORS

So far we have covered what you don’t want in roofing contractors, but what DO you want? First and foremost, you want a legitimate roofing company. Make sure you consider which roofing contractors will be there down the road if something were to go wrong. A solid, local roofing contractor with roots in your local area is typically better than a nationwide roofing company because they are more likely to take a personal stake in the work they do. If you follow all the suggestions listed in this roofing report, you should have a very easy time finding roofing contractors who are respectable, responsible and has a good local reputation.

Secondly, make sure you trust the roofing contractors you are working with. Don’t let a pushy salesman convince you to go with him, just because he talks a good game. Ask him how long he has been with his roofers. Check out his answers and do the research on his company. Make sure you feel good about the roofing contractors you hire!

WHAT TO AVOID WHEN PICKING A ROOFING COMPANY

- Avoid any un-licensed/un-insured/un-bonded roofing company

- Avoid roofing companies who have too many complaints with the BBB

- Avoid any roofing company that cannot or will not provide you with references

- Avoid roofing companies with pushy sales people

- Avoid any roofing company that can’t get the job done in under a week from start to finish

- Avoid roofing company’s who don’t do their own clean up

- Avoid roofing companies you don’t trust or that you don’t have a good feeling about

Southern Pride Roofing Company wants to make sure you don’t get ripped off when selecting a roofing contractor in Huntsville, Alabama. Click, call, or stop by today to do business with a roofing company you can trust! A Family owned business for over 40 years.

Visit them today at http://www.southernprideroofing.com or give them a call at (256) 975-4723.

Report presented by – http://www.avoiding-roofing-contractor-scams.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Tishaw

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Calfinder.com get bids from qualifying contractors.

Find a contractor for your next Additions or Remodeling projects. Contractors.com a great website and service of course free

Service Magic The industry leader in home service contractors

Find thousands of unbiased ratings on services for home improvements, car repairs, and more. Try Angie’s List. Not free but deserves mentioning for their unbiased reviews of contractors.

Though most contractors and home service providers are professionals who take pride in their work, do a wonderful job with great craftsmanship and in a timely manner there are some out there who are not qualified and even worse just out there to scam you out of you hard earned money.

In this article I am going to describe some of the general warning signs and red flags to look out for when you hire a contractor for your next home project. Now while all these are signs and red flags for a contractor scam not all situations mean that a contractor is a scam artist. Doing a diligent background check on your contractor can save you a lot of money.

Door to Door Contractor

One of the easiest ways a contractor scam artist gets access to your home is through door to door marketing. These contractors will knock on your door and offer you a free inspection of your home or trouble area. Then once inside or receives approval from you then they always find a problem that will cost you large sums of money.

Always be weary of door to door contractors in a lot of areas they are called storm chasers and usually show up after a storm. This is often for a roofing repair or siding but can include almost any kind of home improvement problem or project, including radon testing.

These scam contractors scare the home owner that they have a major problem and they need to get the work done right away. The fear is how they often get away with the scam. People are afraid for their safety or home then are willing to part with thousands of dollars.

Your best defense is to always get another contractor out to your home and give you a quote on the work and inspection to see if there is an actual problem. Then always check your contractor for license and references.

Low, Low Prices

Another way a contractor scammer will get access to your house is by offering you a deal that is good to be true. Imagine you have done the right things, called a few contractors and got multiple quotes and a contractor stops by and seems very professional. He offers you a great deal on your home improvement project, much lower than anyone else. You jump on the deal you are getting a steal, right ?

Unfortunately, most of the times you are in for a ride that does not end well for you. Most contractors calculate their jobs at a certain percentage. You will be able to find variances in pricing between the several contractors, the ability for one contractor to come so low below the others does not add up.

There are several things that could be happening here. The first is the contractor does not know how to price his jobs. This means he is inexperienced or not qualified at all. The contractor though will be adding the surcharges to you later on and they could be a lot more then you even imagined. The second reason is they are straight up scam artist. These people bid on your job fully knowing that they will never complete the job. This contractor scam usually has a the contractor ask you for a large percentage up front , the contractor then show up once or twice and tears things up and waits until the check clears. Once the check clears you never hear back from them. Its common for them to leave all their equipment behind and you will usually find out later that it is all rentals.

Be very very wary when you get a low ball offer, this is sure a sign of a unskilled contractor or a straight up scam.

Payment up front please

The payment up front contractor scam happens as you can imagine. The contractor asks for a large partial or full payment up front and then disappears with your money.

This one is a fairly easy one to avoid. Never pay a large sum up front for any work done no matter what. A good contractor home improvement company will always only ask of no more than 20 percent up front or nothing at all. If a contractor insists that you pay up front then walk away. Please, there are many contractors out there that are qualified who will do the job with those terms. You do not need to put your money or your home at risk.

No Contract
Always get your project quote put into a contract. Be sure that you understand the contract and what it means and what it covers. If you do not understand what it means make sure you ask.

I have seen a lot of people get scammed from contractors who just give them quote and have nothing in writing. If its not in a contractor then its not legally binding. Contractors will use this to their advantage by adding more and more expenses into the project. Also,if something is done wrong or damaged then who is responsible? Your contractor should be and it should state it the contract. A reputable contracting company will have all the proper insurance to cover them in case of an accident.

You need to protect yourself and your home, so please always get your project quote put in a contract and make sure you understand it. Make sure the contractor puts their guarantee in it an all other available information.

No Business Office

If your contractor does not have a business office then you should walk away. All business should have a place to do business out of. If their mailing address is a po box , walk away. You need to make sure you contractor is verified and licensed to do business in your town or state.

Without a location how will you ever find them if their is a problem. Always verify their address to make sure they are really located their.

Final Thoughts
These are some of the scams you will find out there that scam contractors pull. You have to be very careful with who you do business with. Always go with a company that is reputable, licensed, insured, and has plenty of referrals. Do a little home work and you can save yourself a lot of trouble. Because picking the wrong contractor can cost you lots of money.

Find a Local Top Rated Contractor
If you are looking for a qualified contractor please be sure to follow our links below. These companies offer you a great service in which they match local rated contractors where they have checked their references, licensing,insurance and backgrounds. They have already done some of the most difficult parts when finding a contractor. All you have to do is fill out a form and they will contact 4 qualified contractors to contact you about your home improvement project. Always be sure to follow the basic best practices when communicating with a contractor.

Five Star Services

Calfinder.com get bids from qualifying contractors.

Find a contractor for your next Additions or Remodeling projects. Contractors.com a great website and service of course free

Service Magic The industry leader in home service contractors

Find thousands of unbiased ratings on services for home improvements, car repairs, and more. Try Angie’s List. Not free but deserves mentioning for their unbiased reviews of contractors.