(ARA) – When it comes to sheer potential for
relationship disaster, the worst in-laws in the world can’t compare to a shady
contractor.
Hire a questionable contractor and you could be setting yourself up for
serious heartache. Find a contractor you can love and you’ll be building the
foundation of a lasting, happy relationship – not to mention the home of your
dreams.
But the numbers show that many Americans have difficulty finding reputable
contractors. In fact, the Better Business Bureau logged more than 9,600
complaints against contractors in 2006. Of the 3,800 different categories of
complaints accepted by the BBB, those against contractors rank lucky 13 in
terms of prevalence. |
|
|
Here are four steps towards building a lasting,
happy relationship with a quality contractor:
1. Run From . . .
 Despite the volume of BBB complaints logged against certain contractors, most
are honest and operate within the law. The Federal Trade Commission offers the
following tips for recognizing a contractor who possibly isn’t on the up-and-up:
* Beware of signs such as soliciting door-to-door, only accepting cash, not
having a listed business number in the local telephone directory, or offering to
do your project with materials “leftover” from a previous job.
* Watch out for contractors who want you to obtain required building permits or
find them new customers (some will offer discounts if you find them new
business).
* If the contractor is offering something that seems too good to be true – like
exceptionally long guarantees or offering to do your home as a “demonstration” –
it probably is too good to be true.
* Finally, if a contractor pressures you for an immediate decision to hire him,
or to borrow money for the project through his preferred lender, you may want to
take your business elsewhere.
2. Check Them Out
Don’t hesitate to check out the background of the contractor you’re considering
for your job; he won’t be offended if he has nothing to hide. Likewise, find out
if he intends to subcontract some work, and do a background and financial check
of those contractors as well. Fortunately, there are a number of resources with
information on contractors, from the BBB to Web sites that maintain databases of
contractors, such as ContractorCheck.com.
Launched by Experian, the company known for its credit reporting and protection
services, ContractorCheck allows consumers to search for contractors in their
area, check a specific contractor’s business background and avoid contractor
fraud. For each contractor in the database, consumers can check to see if he is
bonded, the status of his business license and insurance, how long the company
has been in business, and if the contractor has any judgments or liens against
him. In December, the site is offering visitors up to 10 free ContractorCheck
reports. Visit
www.ContractorCheck.com.
3. Talk to People Who Already Love Them
During your dating years you probably “checked out” prospective dates by talking
to their friends and others who knew them. You need to do the same kind of
word-of-mouth research before committing to a contractor. Talk to past clients
to determine how reliable, speedy and reasonably priced they think your
contractor candidate is. Were they pleased with the work but thought it took too
long to complete? Did the contractor deliver on-time and on-budget?
Reputable contractors maintain a list of satisfied contractors who have agreed
to act as references. If your potential contractor can’t provide the names,
phone numbers and e-mail addresses of past satisfied customers, you may want to
ask yourself why he can’t.
4. Get it in Writing
Good contractors will give you a binding estimate in writing. They also won’t
work without a written contract. The contract should clearly spell out, in
easy-to-understand terms, exactly what the project will cost, what will be
accomplished and the anticipated time frame for completing the job. Don’t
hesitate to get an attorney to review the contract before you sign it,
especially if you are dealing with a high-price-tag project.
Beware of verbal agreements; as the saying goes, in a court of law, they’re
often as good as the paper they were written on.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE: Experian is a global provider of
information, analytical and marketing services to organizations and consumers to
help manage commercial and financial decisions.
Related Tips and Advice:
Home Laundry
Rooms
Decorating Small
Rooms
Modern Dining
Rooms
Yurts
DIY - Don't Hire
a Professional
Used Bedroom
Furniture
House Lot
Position
Building
Contractor Mistakes
How To Find A
Contractor You Will Love
|
